University of Portsmouth holds fundraiser for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

DRESSED in pink and cycling on static bikes, this group from the University of Portsmouth spent a day raising awareness of breast cancer.

October marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month and members of the Raising and Giving Society from the university held the fundraiser yesterday at the Student Union in Cambridge Road.

With pink T-shirts on and a pink stall, the group is hoping to raise £2,000 with its Turn Pompey Pink campaign.

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As well as the fundraising efforts, the group encouraged university staff to wear pink and got support from Tesco Extra in Fratton.

David Ayton, raids and development officer at Rag, said: ‘This is something we have done for the past couple of years and we are hoping to raise £2,000 for Breast Cancer Now.

‘We decided to combine our fundraising efforts with advertising for our London-to-Paris cycle ride, which is next July.

‘That is for the same charity and last year it raised £24,000, which was fantastic.

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‘We had pink gym equipment for sale because women who do 30 minutes of exercise a day can reduce their chances of getting breast cancer by 20 per cent.

‘So the day was about tying lots of ideas and fundraisers together.’

David said the awareness campaign had been going well with people stopping and asking questions.

He said people had been giving the exercise bike a go, letting him explain about the charity.

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He added: ‘The response from students was fantastic. They have been showing lots of interest.’

Breast Cancer Now raises awareness for breast cancer as well as leading research projects into the illness.

David said they like to support the charity as it is forward-thinking and modern.

Students like the fact that the charity is modern and fresh,’ he said.

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‘They go into parliament and have research centres all over the country.

‘As part of its Touch, Look, Check campaign, they created an app which reminds people when to check their breasts.

‘It sets an alarm for something you do weekly such as watching a soap or going swimming. It then reminds you to check yourself.’