PHOTOS: Here come girls! Hospice at Home Midnight Walk 2010
Last updated at 10:10, Wednesday, 21 July 2010
A sea of pink engulfed Workington last night for the town's first Midnight Walk for Hospice at Home West Cumbria.
-
VIDEO:
Highlights from the walk
The sun was shining as 1,400 women assembled to do the six-mile walk at the Tesco store, Workington.
The fun started at 9pm with a CFM roadshow, karaoke, fancy dress prizes and an energetic warm up led by trainers Mandy McGee and Nicola Plaskett, from Workington Leisure Centre.
By the time the walk started at 12midnight, the hospice had already had pledged £100,000.
The best fancy dress award went to Diane Stamp, 46, daughter Rebecca Nicholson, and Catherine Hornsby, 25, all of Mirehouse, who dressed up as Little Britain characters Lou and Andy and a granny. Second place went to a group of clowns and third to the Mayfield Mechanics.
Christine Corrie, 38, of Harcourt Street, Workington, was one of 12 Pink Ladies who did the walk.
She said: "We are here because it is close to our hearts and it's an absolutely fantastic charity."
Fellow Pink Lady, Janice Thompson, 42, of Queen's Drive, Seaton, added: "We all have family members who have had cancer and we wanted to do it because it's a good cause and you don't know when you are going to need it."
Marion Telford, 50, of Hall Park View, Workington, said: "The atmosphere is fantastic, it's a brilliant night and I just want to raise money for a good cause. I think everyone is really supportive of it."
Gillian Chadwick, community fund-raiser for the hospice had been at Tesco's New Bridge Road store since 8am yesterday morning and had worked all the way through the day and night fuelled by adrenalin and excitement.
She said: "I want to thank the people of Workington and West Cumbria for their support in coming to our event, we cannot thank them enough.
"We are delighted with the turn-out, this year's walk is even better than last year and next year's will be even better again, we are going from strength to strength.
"Registration was supposed to open at 10am but we ended up opening at 9am because there were already people waiting and by 10am there was a huge queue."
Gillian added that Tesco had been a fantastic help, letting them use the cafe for registration and the car park for the start of the walk.
She said they had also donated a hamper for a free raffle, bananas for the walkers and provided refreshments for the volunteers throughout the day.
She thanked the sponsors Dobies and Opera Bingo and the support of the Times & Star, as well as the 400 volunteers who had helped put the walk together and helped out on the night.
Stobbarts Limited, of Workington, came to the rescue earlier in the day by providing barriers to help cordon off the car park after the charity was let down by their previous supplier.
Last year's event, at Whitehaven's Tesco store, raised £126,000 for the hospice, which relies on fund-raising for its survival.
First published at 09:23, Saturday, 19 June 2010
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk
Little Stars staff took part in the walk and thoroughly enjoyed it can't wait till next year in training now!!!!! Thank you how organised the event.
View all 21 comments on this article
Have your say
What a brill night the atmosphere was fantastic looken forward to doing it next year thanks to everyone who cheered us on along the way xx
Posted by kelly lever on 28 June 2010 at 20:27