Chester's famous Eastgate Clock has been the subject of social media speculation over the past week as passers-by have noticed the face glowing a bright pink or purple instead of its traditional white.

And The Chronicle has now received confirmation that the timepiece, said to be the second most photographed clock in Britain after Big Ben, has been undergoing a practice run to be lit up pink on Friday, October 23, to raise awareness for a Breast Cancer Awareness Month’s fundraising campaign.

Engineers from the council's Street Lighting team are behind the clock's change of face.

Landmark event

Eastgate Clock is one of only 19 landmarks across the UK to turn pink to help raise awareness of the Wear It Pink campaign, which raises vital funds for the UK’s largest breast cancer charity, Breast Cancer Now.

A mixture of the nation’s beautiful historic and more modern landmarks shone pink last night in a bid to remind the public to support the renowned fundraiser, on Friday, October 23.

The others are:

  • London’s HMS Belfast
  • Trafalgar Square Fountains
  • 20 Fenchurch Street’s Sky Garden
  • Tower 42
  • Granary Square Fountains at King’s Cross
  • The University of Cambridge’s Corpus Clock
  • Selfridges Birmingham
  • Library of Birmingham
  • Derry Offices of the Derry City and Strabane District Council - Northern Ireland
  • The Falkirk wheel
  • Brighton Wheel
  • Gateshead Millennium Bridge in Newcastle
  • Isle of Man’s Tower of Refuge
  • Port of Liverpool Building
  • Nottinghamshire’s Newark Castle
  • Avon Cosmetics HQ, Northampton
  • Cornwall’s Eden Project
  • St Michael’s Mount

2015 marks a special year for Wear It Pink, having raised £27million since it began in 2002.

Project manager Ellie Adam said: “This is such a special time for Breast Cancer Now and our supporters – I’m thrilled that Eastgate Clock has joined some of the UK’s most classic landmarks and stunning modern builds to launch Wear It Pink 2015.

“Wear It Pink is a fantastic opportunity to have some fun, while raising much needed money to support Breast Cancer Now. We’re aiming to raise an incredible £3 million this October to fund our ground-breaking research, but we can only do it with your help. It’s not too late to do your bit, simply text PINK to 70444 and give £3 to help stop breast cancer.”

Cheshire West and Chester Council’s cabinet member for communities and environment Mark Henesy said: “I’m delighted that we have been able to support this fantastic event in aid of Breast Cancer Now.

“ As the second most photographed clock in the country, after Big Ben, a pink Eastgate Clock is sure to attract a great deal of attention and help raise awareness of this devastating disease. I’d like to thank the Street Lighting engineers in our Highways Team for all their hard work to make this happen.”