Wet weather didn’t stop more than 2,000 women and children donning pink outfits and running shoes for the 2015 Race for Life at Chester Racecourse yesterday (Sunday, July 26).
Organisers say they hope to raise around £167,000 from this year’s annual 5k in aid of Cancer Research UK.
Cancer survivor Jean Lloyd, 65, of Hoole, officially started the event, which was compered by Heart FM’s Russ Morris.
Jean, who works as a receptionist at Katie Copeland physiotherapy clinic in Chester and is married to husband Brian, has been taking part in the Chester event since 2009 and has raised almost £1,900 for Cancer Research UK. This year she has raised an additional £500.
Laura Taylor, Cancer Research UK’s area event manager for Chester who organised the race, said it had been a great day.
She said: “It was a fantastic atmosphere. It was a very poignant one minute silence with such a big crowd too.
“Everyone looked amazing. We had some great fancy dress including a pink panther, a pink bear and some pink ladies. We also had about 20 ladies who hula-hooped their way around the entire course! The Chester ladies definitely gave it their best shot and seemed to have a fantastic time.
“Jean was a really good speaker. Everyone in the crowd stopped to hear her talk. She came back to see us after the Race too with her granddaughter and said she’d definitely be back next year!”
Jean said: “I had a brilliant time and felt very proud.”The event involves running, jogging or walking a five kilometre course to raise money for Cancer Research UK.
Race for Life is an inspiring women-only series of 5k, 10k, Pretty Muddy and marathon events sponsored by Tesco which take place around the UK and raise money to help Cancer Research UK scientists, doctors and nurses carry out vital research to help beat over 200 types of cancer.
More than four people are diagnosed with cancer every hour in the North West.* Thanks to research half now survive for 10 years or more.
