Thousands raised for Cancer Research as community comes together for first Jarrow Relay for Life in three years

The annual race saw thousands raised for the charity in a matter of hours, with donations expected to continue throughout the day and weekend.

This is the first Relay for Life to be held in three years due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the event has raised about £800,000 since its inception in 2007.

The event in Jarrow celebrates the power of community fundraising in the fight to beat cancer, with teams of family and friends fundraising for life-saving research and remembering those taken by cancer.

Mayor of South Tyneside, Councillor Pat Hay, led a walk around Monkton stadium during the relay.

She said: “This event has been going for 14 years now. It was started and is still progressed by Ann Walsh, she’s done a tremendous job and I’ve just been informed this morning that for this relay, they have raised £27,000, which is a tremendous effort for cancer research.”

During the event, teams take it in turns to walk around the Monkton Stadium track before honouring every life touched by cancer during the Candle of Hope ceremony.

The event was founded by Ann Walsh MBE, who was fresh from representing South Tyneside as a batonbearer at Queen’s Baton Relay as part of the Commonwealth Games build-up on Friday.

The retired PE teacher saw her father diagnosed with lung cancer and had lost a friend to ovarian cancer when she was approached about the Relay for Life by the parent of former pupils.

Since then, she has lost her dad and mum, George and Peggy, and younger sister, Julie, to the disease.

Speaking before the start of the relay, she said: “It involves so many people, whether they take part, come along and support on the day or contribute in anyway. Everyone who does attend always takes away something special.”

Viv Muirnhead, who took part in the event, said: “We’ve taken part in the relay for the last 14 years to support Ann. We’ve lost quite a few family members ourselves to cancer but we still have a few loved ones around because of the research work that has been done, so for us it’s just a chance to do something positive.

“I think events like this are vitally important. For anyone who is touched by cancer, to see so many people in purple t-shirts who have survived cancer is brilliant and so important.”

She added: “The turnout has been amazing considering the last two years we’ve had.”

The relay began with cancer survivors walking a lap of the track to show what they’ve overcome and demonstrate a message of hope to other cancer patients.

Patricia Watt creates knitted animals to raise money for Cancer Research and also took part in the relay.

“I’ve been coming to the relay for quite a few years and I knit and crochet all year round for things to sell to raise money for cancer research,” she said.

"Events like this are terribly important, they need that money for the research and the atmosphere has been great.

“At first it’s very melancholy because it brings back memories of people you’ve lost. Covid caused a lot of problems because people didn’t get treated for cancer but now hopefully it’s getting back.”