Walk in the Dark raises more than £60K
This year’s Rosemere Cancer Foundation Walk in the Dark at the end of April raised one of its highest ever totals - £60,960 – for projects to benefit local cancer patients.
Some 550 walkers of all ages – almost a record number – joined the annual 11-mile night-time walk along the A6 from Chorley and South Ribble Hospital to the Royal Preston Hospital where Rosemere Cancer Centre, Lancashire and South Cumbria’s regional specialist cancer treatment and radiotherapy centre, is based.
Among them was a larger than usual team representing longtime walk sponsor Eric Wright Group.
The team raised £4,245 – doubled to £8,490 in match funding by the Eric Wright Charitable Trust - in a show of support for colleagueAndy Barnes, (57), who has worked in the company’s Water Division for 21 years and who was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumour on New Year’s Eve 2022.
Andy has since undergone surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. He and his wife Lindsey cheered the team off.
Jeremy Hartley, Chief Executive of Eric Wright Group, said: “We are delighted once again to sponsor Rosemere’s Walk in the Dark. As a local company, we have always recognised Rosemere Cancer Foundation’s hugely valuable work in supporting those in treatment both at Rosemere Cancer Centre and all of our region’s hospital cancer units. Well done to all the participants who turned out to raise money for this excellent cause.”
Sue Swire, fundraising manager for Rosemere Cancer Foundation, said: “A massive thank you to everyone who took part. This was our 16th annual Walk in the Dark if you include the virtual walks we did over the pandemic and for us, 2024’s walk definitely rates as one of the best ever.
“Not only did it raise a fabulous amount of money, it also had a great turn-out with people, many in fancy dress, coming from across the region to support it. As we have a walk sponsor in Eric Wright Group to cover staging costs, we are able to combine walkers’ entry fees with the funds they raise in sponsorship to give us our final total. Every penny from Walk in the Dark goes to projects to improve the cancer treatment journey for those in treatment now.”
Rosemere Cancer Foundation works to bring world class cancer treatments and services to cancer patients from throughout Lancashire and South Cumbria being treated not only at Rosemere Cancer Centre but also at another eight local hospital cancer units across the two counties.
The charity funds cutting-edge equipment, clinical research, staff training and innovative services and initiatives that the NHS cannot afford in order to make patients’ cancer journey more effective, comfortable and stress-free.