Well done to our amazing team who took part in the Great Knaresborough Bed Race on 13th June 2026.
Marking 60 years of this iconic local event, the Bed Race theme this year was Swinging Sixties. As is tradition, each team decorated their bed to match the theme, and Open Arms brought a touch of Malawi to the parade with a “Lotus Flower Power” design, featuring 106 handmade origami lotus flowers — the lotus being the national flower of Malawi.
The team then paraded through the streets of Knaresborough in front of a crowd of more than 20,000 people, alongside the other 90 competing teams. The atmosphere was electric, filled with music, cheering, and plenty of smiles. Some lucky spectators even received an origami lotus flower pack or an orange ice lolly, kindly donated by Froneri Ice Cream. Luckily the team handed them all out before they melted!
After the parade, it was a quick dismantle of the bed decorations before our brave team embarked on the race itself.
With Caitlin safely positioned on the bed, Imogen, Alistair, Colleen, Caroline, Nicola and Simon patiently waited for their turn (number 81) to take on the gruelling 2.4‑mile race through the streets of Knaresborough.
Spurred on by the crowd, there was no stopping the team. They overtook every bed they came across — a total of 16 — before reaching the climax of the event: the 30‑yard swim through the ever‑icy waters of the River Nidd. With Caitlin still balanced on the bed, clinging on, the team even managed a final overtake in the water, finishing with a fabulous time of 18 min 51 sec putting them in 44th place.
We are incredibly grateful to the team for taking on this challenge for Open Arms Malawi. Their efforts not only helped us raise awareness, but also raised an amazing £969 to support children and families in Malawi.
Imogen knows first hand the impact of Open Arms' work, having first visited Open Arms in Malawi on a school trip with Ashville College in 2019 and then again in 2024 with her mum. She's no stranger to challenges either, having run the Amsterdam marathon in aid of Open Arms Malawi in 2023.
If you would like to support the team's efforts you can still donate via their JustGiving page. All support will help build brighter futures for Malawi's vulnerable children. Thank you!
If you would like to know more about our origami lotus flowers and how you can use them to fundraise - check out our Origami Lotus Flower page.
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