The week Hamble gives back to those who give all year

For nearly a century, the regattas at Hamble were called the Hamble River Regatta and they can be traced back to 1868.  In that year, it took place on Tuesday 15th September and it was extensively patronised by the nobility, clergy, gentry and visitors in the neighbourhood.  There were sailing races for pleasures boats and fishing boats, as well as races for rowing boats and punts.  Similar to most subsequent regattas, there was a band in attendance and the days sport was brought to a successful termination by a display of fireworks.


Subsequent regattas also had aquatic events and a fair. In 1961 the Hamble River Regatta was renamed Hamble Regatta & Carnival and in 1997 this became Hamble Week.

Over the past 10-15 years, many of the traditional sailing events have gone and been replaced by land events.  The aim of today’s  Committee is still to unite and promote all aspects of the village and sailing communities, providing an opportunity for all to take part in activities not normally available to them and to raise money to benefit local good causes.

The Committee adopted its constitution in 2000 and started working on Hamble Week 2001 from scratch, raising all the funding needed for the 9-day event, and managing to give a few hundred pounds to local good causes that first year.    The extensive programme and hard work over the years has paid off, with last year being the best so far, when the Committee was able to give just under £12000 to local good causes.