PRESS RELEASE: Dolly marks the countdown to The MoonWalk London

Dolly Parton tribute, Kelly O’Brien, prepares for The MoonWalk London 2018

Dolly Parton aka Kelly O’Brien will be pounding the pavements of the Capital to encourage Londoners to get fit, raise money and help fight breast cancer by entering The MoonWalk London, on Saturday 12 May.

Tower Bridge and the London Eye were just two of the locations that Dolly* visited this morning (Tuesday 9 January) as she donned a MoonWalk cowboy hat, bra T shirt and of course sparkly shoes in support of the Wild West theme of this year’s challenge.

The Dolly Parton tribute, performed by Kelly O’Brien, will be there on the night helping walkers Line Dance their way to the start, in what we hope will be the largest Line Dancing group ever seen in the UK.

Our cowboys and cowgirls will be saddling up and getting ready to MoonWalk past some of the most iconic of London Landmarks, including St Paul’s Cathedral, Big Ben, and Buckingham Palace.

Organised by grant-making breast cancer charity, Walk the Walk, The MoonWalk London is the original night time walking challenge which will see 17,000 walkers marching through the streets of London wearing decorated bras to raise awareness and money for breast cancer.

Walkers have two distances to choose from - the Half Moon (13.1 + 2 miles), or the Full Moon (26.2 miles). This year, every participant will receive a much in demand one-of-a-kind MoonWalk London cowboy hat, so with 4 months to go until the big night …’if you want the hat…you gotta Walk the Walk’ there is no better time to sign up!

Dolly Parton tribute, Kelly O’Brien, said: “I’m having a great time supporting Walk the Walk and the amazing MoonWalk London on 12^th May, encouraging loads of people to sign up! If you want the hat, you’ve got to Walk the Walk! Come on down and support this fantastic charity. As Dolly would say, if someone doesn’t have their smile on, give them yours.”

Walk the Walk Founder and Chief Executive Nina Barough CBE said: “Walk the Walk is all about raising money, raising awareness, getting fit, and having fun, and today we’ve certainly been having a lot of fun with Dolly! But it is so important that we all keep on walking the walk. We’ve come a long way in our 21 years and we now need to set our sights on finding a cure for breast cancer so that everybody has a chance of survival.”

Walk the Walk has raised more than £121 million since 1996, with the money granted funding both research into breast cancer and to help improve the lives of those living with cancer now.

Don’t miss The MoonWalk London, Saturday 12 May! Power Walk through the Capital at Midnight wearing a decorated bra, as you raise money and awareness for breast cancer charity, Walk the Walk. Sign up now: www.walkthewalk.org

For more information, photographs and quotes, contact:

• Sally Orr at Walk the Walk. 07796 080 675  [email protected]
• Claire Duncan at Walk the Walk. 01483 741430  [email protected]

Notes to Editors

*The Dolly Parton tribute act is performed by Kelly O’Brien

The MoonWalk London 2018

• Saturday 12^th May 2018, Clapham Common
• Two walking challenges are available: Half Moon (13.1 + 2 miles) or Full Moon (26.2 miles)
• This year’s theme is “Wild West London”
• All participants must be aged 13 and over to take part
• The cost of entering the Half Moon and Full Moon is £49.50
• Walkers are asked to raise a minimum of £100 in sponsorship
• Entries are open at walkthewalk.org

Walk the Walk 

• Nina Barough CBE, Founder and Chief Executive, set up and now runs Walk the Walk Worldwide.  
• Walk the Walk specialises in fitness and Power Walking challenges.
• HRH The Prince of Wales is the official Patron of Walk the Walk.
• As a grant-making charity, all funds are raised for Walk the Walk and then granted to where the charity feels they will do the most good.  
• Walk the Walk funds are granted to projects that not only support research, important to all our future health, but also support a variety of projects that are supporting cancer patients now throughout the UK. 
• To date grants have been made to charities and organisations throughout the UK including Breast Cancer Now, The Breast Cancer Haven, Penny Brohn UK and hundreds of NHS Hospitals and Trusts for which we supply Scalp Cooling Systems. 
• Breast Cancer Now’s Male Breast Cancer Study takes place at The Institute of Cancer Research, London. 
• The charity also has a community grant fund which each year grants to smaller organisations. Helen Rollason Cancer Charity, Tenovus Cancer Care, The Christie, Cancer Kin, FACT and others, all receive funds which enable them to continue their work. 
• ‘The MoonWalk’ is the flagship event of the charity currently held in London, Scotland and Iceland.