The mags4dorset’s charity of the year: Relay For Life Bournemouth and East Dorset, held its fundraising event on the track behind Ferndown Leisure Centre at the weekend. It broke all expectations by raising over £28,000 for Cancer Research UK.
It opened with an inspiring survivors’ lap of honour and continued for 24 hours over the weekend of 11 and 12 July.
Committee chairperson Karen Lynch said, “Our aim was to raise £10,000 this year to take us over the £200,000 mark since the relay started in Ferndown in 2008, but we almost tripled it.”
With money still coming in, it is thought the final total for 2015 may reach £30,000.
DARCIE OVAL (Aged 2): One of the youngest participants to walk a whole lap, pictured here with watchful team member Demi
Guiding Lights (leaders from Verwood and Ferndown Guides)
Mazza and the Muppets
Bournemouth Rock Choir entertains
Survivors: Sally Grant and Pat Gossling, sisters who were diagnosed with breast cancer within two years of each other and it wasn’t hereditary, but coincidental – they sang in Bournemouth Rock Choir at the event
Karen thanked everyone who took part and helped with the organisation of the event, which went without a hitch. She said 24 teams and a total of 340 relay participants, including 40 survivors, spent 24 hours walking or running around the track. At least one team member had to be on the track for the duration of the relay and teams camped nearby so they could take it in turns to rest, while their fellow team members carried on. There was food, drink and entertainment throughout the weekend.
The Candle of Hope ceremony took place at 10pm on Saturday (11 July) and included a silent lap of the track by the participants, organisers and visitors. Lit by almost 1,000 candles placed inside decorated bags to commemorate survivors or in memory of lost ones, it was a moving experience. Janine Pulford attended with her family, having seen both her sister Lesley and 14-year-old niece Maya lose their battle with cancer within seven months of each other. She said, “It was a very emotional journey and brought home the raw fact that everyone is affected by this indiscriminate killer. It was equally emotional to see how united people are against the disease and the huge determination they have to raise money for research so that one day “we can beat it.”
Anyone wishing to donate to Relay For Life, Bournemouth and East Dorset should contact Karen Lynch on 01202 537624 or email r4lbournemouth@gmail.com
Brilliant everyone, what a screaming success