Char Fundraisers step out for charity

IT may be thousands of small steps for eight Ipswich workers, but tonight's Playtex Moonwalk 2006 will be one giant leap for womankind.

Barbara Cooke and her colleagues from Multicolor UK Ltd in The Drift, off Nacton Road, will be clocking up the miles in London to help raise millions for breast cancer research and care.

The women will be stepping out in an event advertised as 30,000 trainers, 15,000 bras and one goal.

Among those due to be taking part are celebrities such as Victoria Wood and Lorraine Kelly, who like everyone else, will be wearing uniquely decorated bras as they try and top last year's total of more than £5m.

Mrs Cooke said she was inspired to get a team together after walking miles to lose weight and discovering one of her co-workers Diane Thomas was diagnosed as being in the early stages of breast cancer.

Now Mrs Cooke along with Claire Woolhouse, Vicki Tullett, Chrissy Hicks, Pat Soar, Nadine Walden, Naomi D'Agnese and the company's managing director Anne Harrison will be setting off on their 13-mile power walk.

Mrs Cooke said: “They are going to feed us up with pasta and then we are going to do warm-up exercises. We set off at midnight and start and finish at Hyde Park. We are doing the half marathon, which is called the half-moon.

“We have to raise a minimum of £100 each, but I think we have all passed that and we are going to get more than £1,000 between us.”

The 59-year-old said everyone at Multicolor UK Ltd, which has around 60 employees, has sponsored at least one of the eight women. Now all the fundraisers have to do is complete their circuit of central London.

“We have had blisters already, but we are quite looking forward to the walk and are hoping it doesn't rain. It's not exactly red hot but at midnight it might be a bit cooler.”

n If you wanted to pledge money to the Multicolor UK Ltd team it is not too late to telephone them on Monday on 01473 321106.

WEBLINK: www.playtex.co.uk/events