More than 300 people enjoyed a brand new charity fun run in the grounds of The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre.
The 3-2-1 Go Green event saw runners of all ability - and a few dogs - enjoy a 2km course with a difference, to raise funds for The Clatterbridge Cancer Charity to help build a new cancer hospital in Liverpool.
The run featured an obstacle course as well as powder paint stations to turn everyone green.
It was the finale to the annual Let’s Go Green week, a fundraising drive to help the charity raise £15 million towards the build costs of the new specialist cancer hospital in Liverpool city centre.
The start line was outside the entrance to The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre and runners were given the chance to complete the course more than once if they wanted a tougher test.
Before they set off they enjoyed a warm up courtesy of staff from the gym at the Village Hotel in Bromborough.
Among those taking part was Alison Payne from Crosby, below left.
Alison, 48, was first diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2013. She has had 16 surgeries in four years and is now receiving treatment for metastatic spinal cancer at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre.
She was joined by her friends Vicky Edwards, Denise Cresswell, Norah Stewart, Anne Mahon and Stella Edwards.
Alison said: “The care I have had at Clatterbridge has been fantastic and this is a way to say thank you.
“I think positivity is a massively important thing and I have been really lucky to be supported by my friends and family and taking part in 3-2-1 is a great way to show our support and have some fun.”
Her friend Stella Edwards, from West Kirby, was also running in memory of the mum of a close friend, Lillian Cope, who trained as a nurse at Clatterbridge.
Stella said: “Sadly Lillian lost her life to cancer and I wanted to pay tribute to her, and everyone at Clatterbridge, today.”
Mark Parkinson, Event Manager for The Clatterbridge Cancer Charity, said: “We were delighted to see so many people take part in the first 3-2-1 Run Green.
“We wanted to make sure people had a lot of fun while raising much needed funds at the same time.
“I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who took part and of course to all our volunteers who worked so hard to make the event such a huge success. We want to make next year’s run even bigger and better and can’t wait to get planning.”
When the 300 runners crossed the finish line they were treated to bottles of water donated by Asda in Arrowe Park and apples from Asda in Bromborough. Village Hotels also gave runners a free three day gym pass.
All the powder paint could have got a little bit messy but thanks to Protecdirect.co.uk coveralls kept the volunteers and staff paint free.
The Clatterbridge Cancer Charity is working to raise £15 million towards the cost of a new specialist cancer hospital in Liverpool and improvements to the Wirral site.
The next big outdoor event for the charity is the Beside the Seaside Walk at Crosby Coastal Park on the 9th June 2019.
More information here