VOLUNTEERS have thanked relayers, families and businesses from across the Cirencester area for helping them raise more than £54,000 for Cancer Research UK this year.
Around 172 energetic competitors from Cirencester and the surrounding villages braved the rain in fancy dress and took part in a relay at the Cirencester Rugby Football Club on Saturday, July 22.
Relay For Life Cirencester is a community festival which celebrates the power of fundraising in the fight to beat cancer.
Teams fundraise for life-saving cancer research and then unite at a weekend-long festival to honour everyone who has been affected by cancer.
It is focused around a 24-hour relay where team members take it in turns to walk around a track.
A group of cancer survivors also walk an emotional lap of the track to celebrate their achievements.
The bustling event was organised by volunteer event chair Sharon Scrivens who lost her father to Leukaemia Cancer in 2000 and her son to Melanoma Cancer in 2014.
She has recently announced that Cirencester Relay for Life has raised a grand total of £54,255 this year and now wants to thank all the 'superstars' who helped make this possible.
Sharon said: "I have witnessed some incredible personal achievements this year.
"Mountains were climbed, world records were broken and a 70 mile hike from Carlisle to Newcastle was completed.
"They are all superstars.
"The teams entertained the public with bingo, quiz nights, cream teams, cakes sales, children’s discos, film nights and a fashion show held in our glorious parish church.
"The power of the community pulling together gives us strength and hope that one day we will beat cancer.
"I would like to thank everyone that has supported us, whether it is 10p, £1 or £100 it all makes a difference.
"So many of us have been touched by cancer and we need this to stop so thank you one and all."
Sharon said that since starting Relay For Life Cirencester in 2017, they have raised around £385,000 and would like to reach the half a million mark next year.
To register for next year's relay visit tinyurl.com/3b9kdpsb or email sharonscrivs@outlook.com
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