Leisure centres rock pink look for charity

The day is the flagship fundraising event of Breast Cancer Campaign, a charity that is dedicated to funding world-class breast cancer research projects in both the UK and Ireland.

Staff from 4 leisure centres, Pavilions in the Park, Broadbridge Heath, Steyning and Billingshurst, jazzed up their usual work uniform with different pink additions, including socks, shirts and tutus. The new look bought a smile to customers’ faces and welcomed donations from many. To add to the fun, Steyning Leisure Centre dyed its swimming pool pink for swimming lessons and aqua classes, giving customers an extra-special workout.

Around 1,000 women die from breast cancer every month in the UK. Breast Cancer Campaign aims to accelerate the progress towards a cure for breast cancer by funding essential and innovative research projects. So far, the charity has awarded over 400 grants to many universities, medical schools and research facilities in the UK and Ireland.

Sophie Pateman, Contract Health and Wellbeing Manager for the Horsham Places for People contract, said “We were very proud to support Wear It Pink and all wore our colourful accessories with pride. Cancer is a disease that affects everyone somehow and we hope that the money we raised will have some impact on helping research in the field.”

The leisure centres raised over £200 on the day and had a lot of fun in the process. This is just another in a long line of charity days the centres have been involved in and the sites are committed to continue fundraising for many more campaigns in the future.

It is important that women are aware of what the symptoms of breast cancer are and how they can check themselves at home. Please visit www.breastcancercampaign.org to find out more.

Report and pictures contributed by Places for People Leisure Centres.