Girls just want to have fun

Photos by kind permission of Listen to Heart on 107.7FM

WOMEN and young girls enjoyed a fun and sunny Sunday raising money for Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life event.

The event took place on Sunday (May 15) at the bandstand on the Aberystwyth Promenade. Participants have a chance every year to run, jog or walk a 5km or 10km course in memory of loved ones who fought against the life-threatening disease.

The money raised through sponsorships goes towards research funding for all 200 types of Cancer. Race for Life began in 1994 and this year, the streets of Aberystwyth were filled with supporters who enjoyed live hosting by Heart Radio Station.

Katie Cooze, South West-Wales Area Events Manager at Cancer Research UK told The Herald: “Cancer Research UK is a leading charity in cancer research. We’ve probably raised in the region of £65,000 in Aberystwyth yesterday, we don’t ever know the final numbers until about September/October time because the sponsorships keep coming in, but that’s what we think we probably will have raised.

“That money will obviously go into both research in the labs but also we fund the work of over 4,000 doctors, scientists and nurses across the UK. Also in Wales we fund a research nurse in Bronglais Hospital and across Wales but that’s the local one.

“The work we have done over the last forty years has helped to increase the survival rates from one in four to two in four, so the survival rates has doubled in the last forty years thanks to the wonderful treatments and screening programmes.

“The event was fantastic, we had around 11,038 participants and quite a high number of those were 10km in comparison to the past so people are clearly going for the bigger challenges now. We had 241 of those were 10km runners and the rest were 5km runners.

“The 10km did the same route as the 5km and then also went along the river up to the University playing field. I think that along the Promenade is just so nice that the streets were lined with local people just supporting, and of course some of them would have been to the Lord Mayor’s parade as well on the same day so it was just so lovely to see the streets lined with supporters.

“The good weather made the world of difference, especially on the Seafront. It was absolutely perfect weather for it because it wasn’t too hot but it was nice and sunny, and there was no wind so it was really good.

“Our focus this year was to get the 5km and 10km perfect because the 10km route was changed slightly for this year in the order that they did things, and the feedback we’ve had so far was that it ran a lot smoother this year and that it was better for the volunteers and the participants which is great.