Mature upholstery students from Brockenhurst College taking part in a night-time powerwalk marathon in May to support breast cancer causes have ‘outstripped’ their £1,800 target, with sponsors already pledging £4,760 – more than double.
The group, led by lecturer Susan Newman, will stride a 26.2-mile course around London on May 13th/14th as part of breast cancer charity Walk the Walk’s London Moonwalk.
As is customary on Walk the Walk endeavours, the group will complete the course wearing their bras over their clothes to show solidarity with people affected by breast cancer.
Team member Charlotte Merritt, who has undergone treatment for the condition, said: “I know I benefitted hugely from the great strides that have been made in cancer research with better detection, treatment and new smart drugs.
“I know other people haven’t been so lucky, but with even more funding and research the outcome for people can only get better,” she added.
Another team member, Claire Vinycomb-Brown, who lost her 25-year-old sister to cancer, said: “This terrible disease is affecting many people, so if we can do something today to help the patients of tomorrow, then let’s do it.”
Lecturer Susan Newman said: “Our classes are more than lessons. They are about a group of friends who share life’s ups and downs and support each other.”
The group has undertaken extensive training in the past few months with the aim of completing the challenge in around six to seven hours, finishing as the sun rises over the London skyline.
Walk the Walk is the UK’s largest grant-making breast cancer charity, having raised more than £113million over the years. In fact, participants in its events have walked nearly eight million miles.
2017 is the twentieth year the event has been held, and will be characterised by a costume theme reflecting the ‘roaring twenties’.
You can sponsor the Brockenhurst College students by pledging money on their JustGiving webpage. The address is www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Moonwalk2017BrockCollege
