A charity event where teams pull a Boeing 737 over 50 metres to raise funds for Dorset Mind, with live music and food vendors.
The Dorset Plane Pull is back at European Aviation, Bournemouth Airport on Monday 31 August, from 10am to 5.30pm. It's a bit of a local oddity: teams of 20 people pull a Boeing 737, weighing around 35,000kg, over a distance of 50 metres. The fastest time wins, and each team picks its own charity to support. It's presented by Dorset Mind, who describe it as their 'ultimate tug-of-war', and it's billed as the UK's only charity event of its kind.
That competitive edge is what sets it apart from your usual fundraiser. It's as much a team-building day as it is a charity drive, and it's been running for a while — by 2017 it had already reached its ninth edition, with more than £100,000 raised across those first nine years. Anyone aged 14 or over can take part, and you don't need any specific physical training to get involved. If you're between 14 and 17, you'll just need a waiver from an adult.
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It's not just about the pulling, either. The day runs with live music, food vendors, a spectator area and charity activities, so it works as a day out even if you're not on one of the teams. The organisers describe volunteers as the backbone of the charity, and that's a good place to start if you're looking to get involved without pulling a plane. It's at European Aviation, Bournemouth Airport, on Monday 31 August, from 10am to 5.30pm.
