Race for Life turns Telford park pink
Telford Town Park was painted pink as 1,250 runners took part in Race for Life this morning.
The event brought racers and spectators from across the county to Telford for one of the many women-only Cancer Research UK events taking place across the UK throughout June and July.
Telford’s Race for Life included routes for 5k and 10k, and 1,250 women and girls ran in support of loved ones and colleagues in the traditional pink garb.
WATCH: Footage from the Race for Life start line
Some runners weren’t racing for particular people, but simply to support the work of Cancer Research UK.
One of those runners was Dr Saritha Eli, who works at Ironbridge Medical Practice, and tackled the 10k run with fellow doctor Poonam Mehta.
They were cheered on by Dr Melissa Garland, who is pregnant, while the practice’s receptionist Sharon Howell and nurse Amanda Johnson took on the 5k.
Dr Eli said: “I see a lot of patients with cancer, and it is good to be able to do something in support.
“It was a good race and we all enjoyed it.
“It’s a really well-organised race. I’ve been doing them for years, I still have shirts from 2015 and 2016, but this time I did it with my colleagues.”
The team of doctors are planning more fundraising events, including a hike of Hadrian’s Wall later this year.
Tasha Jenkinson, aged 20, and Nikki Clapperton, 44, were part of a team of runners who all work at the Twiggy’s day nursery in Donnington.
Tasha ran in memory of her grandmother, while Nikki was marking the death of her grandfather and her nephew.
Tasha said: “It’s good to see so many people out here doing it, and people of all ages. And everyone is being supportive, even the people who aren’t running were cheering us on and it helped us get through.
“This is the first time I’ve ever done it but I will definitely do it again.”
Nikki has tackled the Race for Life before as well as other cancer fundraising runs, and she said: “It’s affected all of us so we decided we would all do it as a group.
“Cancer affects so many people and not just the people who have it but their families suffer a lot too.
“We’re quite a small team but a very close one, and I think this has definitely brought us even closer together. We will do it again.”
Over the past 20 years, more than eight million women have taken part in the Race for Life, raising over £547 million for the charity.
Telford’s Race for Life was supported by Nuffield Health. The 5k and 10k courses circled the town park’s lake.
