Family walks to a different beat

A FAMILY who failed to get Oldham’s cancelled 2011 Race for Life reinstated have vowed to walk for a different cause instead.

Race for Life raises money for Cancer Research UK at venues across the country, and the Smith girls had pledged to take part because some family members had been cancer victims.

Cancer Research UK cancelled the event which was to take place in Oldham’s Alexandra Park on July 6, due to lack of interest, saying it wasn’t cost effective and dealing a blow to 465 Oldham women who had registered.

Julie Smith, of Vulcan Street, Derker, and her five fellow-walkers were unable to get together for any of the dates offered due to prior commitments.

So they launched a campaign to get the Oldham Race for Life reinstated, failing which they planned to stage their own event in the park to raise money for Cancer Research UK.

But the health and safety rules for running an event left them out of their depth, and finally they admitted defeat and decided they were unable to support Cancer Research UK. Instead, they are planning their own 5k walk in the park as a family on Saturday, August 13.

The money raised will go to Kidney Cancer UK as a thank-you for the help and support given to Julie’s brother, David Thomas (44), who is recovering from surgery to remove a kidney tumour.

As part of their campaign, the family sent a 1,400-name petition to Cancer Research UK supporting their cause, and have received a letter from the charity saying the 2011 Race For Life will not be reinstated in Oldham.

It said it was not cost effective, and the low numbers would defeat the aim of “thousands of women coming together to celebrate sisterhood and enjoying an amazing day out.”

Frances Milner, the charity’s local fundraising director, said in the letter it hoped to hold a 2012 Race for Life in Oldham, and invited Julie to join forces with it to make sure it was a success.

The charity offered to visit her at her home, but Julie (47) told the Chronicle: “We feel this reply is really just more of a formality.”

Julie will walk in the park with her 22-year-old daughter Stacey Arnold, her son Daniel’s partner Naomi Leach, her sister Evelyn Darin, David’s wife, Mandy, and family friend Karen Smith.

David will have a barbecue on the go for family and friends to welcome them back, when more money will be raised with a raffle, a sponsored leg wax and a sponsored head shave for Karen.