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March 7, 20235 simple ways to save money on your skip hire cost
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March 7, 2023
SunSkips has handed over a cheque for £500 to Relay For Life Bury St Edmunds to push volunteers a bit closer to the fundraising finish line.
The community group spends all year raising money for Cancer Research UK, which culminates in the 24-hour Relay For Life event (taking place on July 1 this year).
Teams work in shifts to walk laps of the track at Nowton Park to symbolise the ongoing efforts to beat cancer for good, while others come along to support and enjoy music, games, and entertainment over the course of the weekend.
Committee co-chair David Cianciola was pleased to have some upfront funding from Bury St Edmunds skip hire firm SunSkips to pay for the catering.
He said, “That amount not only pays for the BBQ but also the bacon rolls that we provide for our participants on the Sunday morning for a bump of energy after their overnight walking.
“Donations from local companies like SunSkips are critical for getting the event up and running.“
Relay For Life Bury St Edmunds 2022 looks to have raised in excess of £22,000 and David hopes they’ll reach the target of £40k this year.
“We didn’t have the event during Covid,” explained David. “So last year was special because it was like a comeback. They reckon the pandemic cost Cancer Research UK £260 million in lost funding.”
Up to 300 people are expected to take part in the event, which includes a dog walking lap, YMCA lap and even a Merry Christmas lap where participants dress up as Santa.
“A guy did it in Speedos once,” revealed David. “In a previous year, one participant pledged to walk for the whole 24 hours. It’s a lot of fun and really a terrific weekend!”
Relay For Life Bury St Edmunds begins with the Survivors’ Lap of Honour, which is what initially attracted David, who is a cancer survivor himself, to the event.
When the sun goes down, the Candle of Hope ceremony is an opportunity to dedicate a candle bag to someone lost to cancer, family and friends currently fighting cancer, a survivor or to symbolise hope for the future.
As Relay For Life Bury St Edmunds draws to a close, everyone takes part in the final lap to mark the end of the event and celebrate all their hard work.
We asked David what the mood is like at 4am when volunteers are starting to get tired and feel the allure of their warm beds.
“It depends on what the weather’s like,” David said, only half-joking. “But even if it’s been a wet, damp night, spirits are still high thinking of our achievements. Some participants take a well earned rest and sleep in shifts before returning to the track for the final few hours on Sunday morning.”
“It’s always a good atmosphere that’s shared around the world. There are 24 different countries taking part and 45 events in the UK alone.”
David wants locals to feel encouraged to sign up to Relay For Life Bury St Edmunds and become part of a future where funding for cancer research is no longer necessary.
He added, “Cancer never sleeps, so nor will we. That’s the key message. We look forward to a day where cancer is a thing of the past.”
Fancy getting involved? There’s still time to sign up a team, join an existing one, or attend as a survivor. Head to the Relay For Life Bury St Edmunds event page for information about how to sign up.
