Stroud's first Relay for life a success

9:22am Tuesday 19th August 2008

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STROUD'S first Relay for Life was a huge success, raising £5,000 for Cancer Research UK despite gloomy weather conditions.

Supporters of all ages got together at Stroud Rugby Club on Friday, where they walked or ran in relay teams for 20 hours. Each team tried to keep at least one member on the track at all times.

Organiser Jean Harper said: "It was great. We didn't have as big a turnout as we'd have liked on the Saturday due to bad weather, about 80 people did the relay.

"But on the Friday night more than 300 people came along to the Candle of Hope ceremony where bags of candles that burn through the night were given out.

"Teams ran until 2.30pm on Saturday and only stopped because of the wet and windy weather. "

There was also a Survivors' Lap of Honour which saw 92-year-old Les Pugh, who opened the event, celebrate his recovery from cancer by walking around the course.

This is the first time Stroud has hosted a Relay for Life event and Jean said that Saturday's event served to get it off the ground.

She thinks around £5,000 has been raised but it could be more as gift aid has not been counted in.

Jean would like to say thank you to all the businesses which donated money or equipment to the event.