Deputy Chair & Secretary: Mel Botterill

Well, what a week!

As the dust finally settles, the pink hi-viz comes off, the radios go quiet and the last bin bag, recycling bin and barrier is (hopefully!) where it should be, it seems only right to reflect on our 181st Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta.

First and foremost, a massive thank you to all of our sponsors. Your continued support, year after year, is what ensures that this historic event perpetuates in Dartmouth. The Regatta has been part of the town’s fabric for very nearly two Centuries now, and keeping a predominantly free event takes an enormous amount of money, time, commitment and goodwill. We quite simply couldn’t do it without you all.

And what a week it was. We had highs, lows, sunshine, rain, laughter, exhaustion, a fair amount of caffeine… and probably enough pink hi-viz to be seen from the moon.

There was an incredible amount of goodwill and support for your Royal Regatta this year, and we are hugely grateful for it. There was, inevitably, a little negativity too. To our Mr Trader on the South Embankment: having a difference of opinion is one thing; swearing at our extremely hardworking, wholly voluntary committee is quite another, you aren’t welcome next year, don’t even bother applying. We are all giving our time freely to keep this event alive, and that sort of behaviour simply won’t be tolerated – and you have been firmly appraised of that in no uncertain terms.

Thankfully, the overwhelming majority of people we encountered were quite the opposite, and we saw some truly wonderful examples of the Dartmouth community spirit that continues to make our town so special.

One of my favourite moments came at 11pm on Saturday night, after the music had finished, when we were faced with the inevitable aftermath of a busy evening. Before we knew it, members of the public were simply grabbing bin bags and litter pickers and joining us. No fuss, no fanfare, just people mucking in and helping. Together, we cleared the area in record time. That is Dartmouth at its best.

A huge thank you must also go to our stoic collectors; standing around with buckets and encouraging people to dig deep isn’t always the most glamorous job, but it is absolutely vital. You did an awesome job of helping us raise the funds needed to keep this predominantly free event accessible to everyone.

Our security, electrical, sound, waste and recycling, medical teams, Police and all of our service providers were also absolutely brilliant. These are the people who work largely behind the scenes, often for long hours and in challenging conditions, making sure everyone else can enjoy themselves safely. We are incredibly grateful to you for everything that you do.

And then there’s the committee..

We as Regatta Officers had just six weeks’ notice to take over as a team, which, looking back, was either incredibly brave or slightly bonkers. Quite probably both.

But do you know what? I think we were all brilliant.

A huge thank you to our Chair, Ed Botterill, and to our Deputies Jen Pichowski and Yorkie Lomas, for all the hours that you put in to make this Regatta happen this year.

To our Heavy Gang thank you for your tireless hi-vis humping and dumping. There probably isn’t a trolley, barrier, bin, cable or random object left in Dartmouth that you haven’t moved at least twice this last 10 days!

And, of course, Dot Sheppard, whose endless supply of tea and coffee from the Information Hut in Royal Avenue Gardens probably deserves its own sponsorship deal. There are few things more reassuring during Regatta week than knowing Dot will appear with a hot drink when you’re running on fumes!

And finally, a little thank you to the committee as a whole.

It is very easy to see the fireworks, the boats, the music, the entertainment and the crowds and forget what happens behind the scenes. There are countless hours of planning, phone calls, emails, meetings, problem-solving, lifting, shifting, collecting, cleaning and worrying that go into making those eight days happen.

We don’t always get everything right. We certainly don’t always agree. And occasionally we may question our life choices!

However we all care passionately about this event, it’s far reaching longevity, it’s environmental responsibilities and about Dartmouth, and we are determined to see this incredible tradition continue.

So, as Secretary and Deputy Chair, I think I can safely say on behalf of the team:

We survived Regatta 2026 and we delivered Regatta 2026.
We laughed a lot, worked ridiculously hard, cried only a little, drank an unreasonable amount of tea and coffee… and somehow managed to pull off the 181st Regatta.

To everyone who sponsored us, volunteered, collected, litter-picked, provided services, entertained us, supported us, donated, attended, applauded, took part in so many of the multitude of competitions and races, encouraged us or simply turned up and enjoyed yourselves — thank you all.

Here’s to the 181st.

Same time next year?

Well… let’s just give the hi-vis a few days to dry first. 🍻

Mel x

Secretary & Deputy Chair
Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta