In Pictures: Rosemere’s Walk in the Dark returns after two years

Rosemere Cancer Foundation’s Walk in the Dark took place on Saturday 23 April after a Covid-enforced two year hiatus.

People were so glad to be back after two years

It was the 14^th Walk in the Dark and the sixth sponsored by Eric Wright Group.

Aliens also participated in the fundraising event!

The sponsorship covers all staging costs so that every penny from all entry fees and sponsorship money raised by individuals taking part goes to support Rosemere’s projects across Preston, Lancashire and South Cumbria.

Over the previous years, the thousands of people that have taken part have collectively raised £300,000 for Rosemere projects.

The walk itself is 11 miles along the A6 from Chorley and South Ribble Hospital to Rosemere Cancer Centre at the Royal Preston Hospital. It’s a largely flat route. A lot of walkers park at the Royal Preston and hop on to a shuttle bus which takes them to the start. Redline, of Preston, ran three free shuttle buses.

The Inbetweeners performed at the start of the walk

The walk started at 8 pm. It followed a Zumba warm-up by Penwortham Zumba teacher Jamie-Lee Kirby. The local band the Inbetweeners also played to give walkers a musical send off and performed again at the halfway point, St Saviours, Bamber Bridge, which is a loo and refreshment stop for people.

A zumba class took place before the walk

There were around 250 walkers, so in entry fees alone around £5,000 was raised, but Rosemere expect this total to be more than doubled over the coming weeks as many had individual online fundraising pages or sponsorship forms.

Rosemere Walk In The Dark. Emily Talbot, Danielle Leyland and Megan Kennedy

Supporters Norma Blackburn and Margaret Dunn, who are neighbours in Penwortham, raised £170 by standing a stall at the start selling Rosemere merchandise and glow-in-the-dark sticks and other novelties. Most walkers dressed up for the walk and had glow-in-the-dark paraphernalia.

Rosemere Walk In The Dark. Skin Cancer Specialist Nurse Team with Consultant Plastic Surgeon, Srinivasan, far left

Community psychiatric nurse Julie McLaughlin, of Penwortham, raised £65 face painting the Rosemere logo on to walkers free hand. She did this in memory of her dad David Stott, who passed away in July 2017 aged just 63 of leukaemia. David was a fireman and later a driving instructor who worked as a social care project worker in his retirement.

Rosemere Walk In The Dark. Sally Williams, Lisa Entwistle and face painter Julie McLoughlin-Stott

All went well and everyone reached the safety of the Royal Preston.

Volunteers Norma Blackburn, left and Margaret Dunn, right with Ian Crowther and Veronica Kelly

On finishing, they received a medal and were invited into the hospital’s Charters Restaurant for a hot drink and food.

The first person back was dental consultant Mr Kevin Mellan, who works at the hospital. He intended walking the route but ended up running most of it in cargo shorts to get back in about 80 minutes or so. Rosemere also had two other runners – 78-year-old Leyland grandad and retired lecturer Walter James, a former skin cancer patient, and Neil Nelson.