Southsea seafront turns pink as walkers step out for charity

Tayla Crouwkamp, two, with Caroline Ralph as Hello Kitty and Grace Morris,,three, outside The Pyramids Centre, Southsea
Picture: Habibur Rahman — Tayla Crouwkamp, two, with Caroline Ralph as Hello Kitty and Grace Morris,,three, outside The Pyramids Centre, Southsea Picture: Habibur Rahman

Yesterday’s annual Pink Walk, which is in aid of Breast Cancer Now, managed to raise more than £2,000 as the determined walkers trekked three miles from Southsea’s Canoe Lake to Clarence Pier and back.

More than £19,000 has been raised for the charity over the past seven years from the walk.

Sharon Forder, from Old Portsmouth, who is the area sales manager for Avon, has organised the event from the start.

She had feared for the walk because of a morning rain shower, but said it was a ‘big success’ as the sun then came out to the delight of the fundraisers.

Sharon said: ‘We were so lucky for the sun to come out and give us all a boost.

‘It’s all gone down really well and we’ve managed to raise so much again for a seventh year in a row.

‘We are all like-minded people who all know someone who has fought or is fighting breast cancer and we just want to do all we can to help and support them.

‘It’s a fantastic feeling when you’re all walking as one group, bound by the same cause and it’s just a pleasure to have so many people be a part of it.’

Ten-year-old Millie Spink is one of the event’s champion fundraisers. having managed to gather £1,105 for this year’s grand total.

Millie, from Havant, has been doing the event with mum Sarah Long, 51, since it first began.

The Bosmere Junior School pupil said: ‘It is always something that I look forward to taking part in.

‘Each year I just want to raise as much as I can. I just love being a part of it and helping out when I can.’

Millie also said thank you to the customers of greengrocers RA Tier & Son in High Street, Emsworth, as she said many donated to her total through the bucket she had in the shop.

Sarah added: ‘The walk is just something that we’ve always wanted to be a part of.

‘Everyone knows someone who has being affected by breast cancer and this is our way of trying to help out.

‘Hopefully we will be able to get more people down for the walk next year.’

In addition to the walk, a bake sale and raffle also took place at the Canoe Lake Cafe.

Avril Eley, from North End, ran the bake sale and added: ‘Everyone has been so generous. Each year we all have such a nice time doing it.’