Girls bank £120,000 on hospice night
St Nicholas Hospice Care - Girls Night Out
IT WAS ladies’ night on Saturday as hundreds of women put their best foot forward to raise more than £100,000 for a hospice.
Girls Night Out turned the streets of Bury St Edmunds into a flourescent toga-fest as more than 750 women walked up to 11.2 miles for St Nicholas Hospice Care.
Fund-raisers drummed up an estimated £120,000 – smashing last year’s record of £100,000.
Jenny Baskett, events fund-raiser for St Nicholas Hospice Care, said the sight of walkers gathered on Angel Hill – dressed up in togas and flashing bunny ears – was ‘incredible’.
“It’s lovely to know that the hospice means so much to so many people.,” she said.
“That they would take the time to get dressed up and get into the spirit of everything is great.”
Getting involved in the night’s theme of ‘reveal your inner goddess’ was Hannah Richbell, who also led the walkers in a Zumba warm-up.
She said: “I’m doing this for my grandma, who died of bowel cancer when I was 12.
“She spent time in the hospice and I remember it well, even though it was a long time ago.”
Stephanie Saunders and Kathleen Arnold, of Bury, also took part.
Kathleen said: “I took part in Girls Night Out in 2011 and it was just brilliant. I had to persuade Stephanie to join me this year.”
The walkers’ warm-up included a ‘laughter yoga’ session with Keith Adams – believed to be the biggest ever held in the UK.
They set off from Angel Hill at 8pm, snaking their way past Asda, the Spread Eagle pub, the hospice and the Moreton Hall estate.
Walkers’ spirits were kept up by the Glenmoriston Pipe Band, while topless waterboys handed out refreshments along the route.
Airmen from 26 Squadron RAF Regiment, based at RAF Honington, walked the route with the fund-raisers.
Walkers began to arrive back on Angel Hill at around 10.30pm, with a commemorative medal, bacon roll and hot chocolate to greet them.
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Weather for Bury St Edmunds
Saturday 25 May 2013
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Temperature: 6 C to 14 C
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