Banbury area village event - Hooky Alternative Race for Life - raises more than £2,000 for charity

The 2021 event is the 11th local such event run along the same lines as the official Cancer Research UK Race for Life events with a few differences, including a pub and a tortoise category.

This year 192 women, men, children, dogs and tortoises raced around the 5K route, which started and finished at the Sun Inn pub in Hook Norton.

So far this year the runners have raised more than £2,000 for Cancer Research UK in entry fees and sponsorship. All refreshments and prizes were donated by local businesses and the community spirit in the village very much in evidence at the event, which has raised more than £18,000 since the first race in 2010.

Amanda Hall, who is currently receiving treatment for ovarian cancer, took part in the race dressed as a flamingo.

She said the following on her fundraising web page: "As many of you know I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer earlier this year, and I am currently receiving treatment which is going very well. This greatly affected my fitness in the first half of the year but I have decided to challenge myself to regain some of that in aid of Cancer Research UK by walking 2.9 miles in the Hooky Alternative Race For Life.

"Walking round dressed in pink seemed rather mundane so I invite you to sponsor me to strut around the course at a gentle pace dressed as a flamingo!"

To see and contribute to Amanda's fundraising web page see the link here: https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/amandas-flamingo-walkIf you would like to contribute to the Hooky Alternative Race for Life fundraising campaign see their fundraising web link here: https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/unite/HARFL11If anyone is interested in setting up a similar event and would like some advice and support, please contact Gill Begnor with the following email: [email protected].