'Marvellous night for a MoonWalk, officers'

Published on Saturday 19 February 2011 12:24

IT WON'T be the first time that police have patrolled through an Edinburgh park late at night. But it will be the first occasion they have done so clad in T-shirts that look like women's lingerie, complete with shocking pink bra.

• Thin pink line: Cara McGuigan, Martin Couper, Lynn Symington, Allan Symington, Sara Docherty, Struan Robertson and Jennifer McRae from the Lothian and Borders Police team put their MoonWalk costumes through their paces. Scotland on Sunday will again be media partner for the Edinburgh event in June. Photograph: Ian Georgeson

A team from Lothian and Borders Police will join MoonWalk participants when they step out from Inverleith Park in the capital to raise hundreds of thousands of pounds for breast cancer causes.

The staff - ranging from police officers to force clerical workers - will join the throng, sporting sparkly bras, corsets and feathers, to make their way through the city streets during the night, walking either a full or half marathon, for what has become one of the best known charity fundraising events in Scotland.

Sara Docherty, a PR and marketing officer, who is organising the police contingent, explained: "Cancer has touched all of us in the team in different ways. My mum had breast cancer and so have various friends and the charity makes a big difference.

"It's a fun way of raising money and it's unusual doing it through the night."

So far, only the seven pictured have confirmed they will be taking part. Among them is Martin Couper, whose mother works in a breast-screening clinic in Glasgow and husband and wife pairing Allan and Lynne Fymington.

The police team seems to have caught the imagination of their colleagues with another 20 staff expected to get involved in 11 June event.

The Edinburgh MoonWalk - whose media sponsor is Scotland on Sunday - is one of only two in the world and has become a landmark event in the capital, attracting celebrities such as Lorraine Kelly. Over the past five years, it has raised 11.5 million.

Beneficiaries include the Breast Cancer Institute at the Edinburgh Western General Hospital and a Maggie's centre at Gartnavel Hospital in Glasgow. The funds raised are also used to buy scalp coolers, which can reduce hair loss during chemotherapy.

Launching this year's walk, Nina Barough, founder and chief executive of the charity, said: "We think 2011's event is going to be the best ever and Edinburgh will be a cacophony of sound and buzzing with energy once again as 10,000 women and men unite to raise money for vital breast cancer causes.

"This challenge creates a wonderful exchange, thousands of women and men will get fitter as they get ready to reach their goal and in so doing will raise millions of pounds that will make a very big difference to the lives of so many going through breast cancer."

n There are only four more weeks for walkers to sign up for the full MoonWalk. To register visit www.walkthewalk.org or call 01483 741430.