PRESS RELEASE: Edinburgh Castle shines pink for MoonWalk Scotland

The Walk of Fame themed MoonWalk Scotland is being given an added Hollywood touch, as the historic Edinburgh Castle lights up pink.

The iconic Edinburgh Castle is to light up pink on the night of Saturday 9^th June, in honour of thousands of women, men and young walkers taking part in the 13^th MoonWalk Scotland. Lloyds on the Mound will also form part of the City’s striking pink skyline, as the Capital unites with MoonWalk organisers, breast cancer charity Walk the Walk.

Camera Obscura, St Giles Cathedral, Queen Victoria at the National Galleries, the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the Melville Monument at St Andrew Square will also glow pink, raising awareness and uniting against breast cancer, as will hotels across Edinburgh, including the Radisson Blu, The Balmoral and The Principal at Charlotte Square.

Department stores Jenners and House of Fraser will be supporting The MoonWalk with special window displays and by offering mini makeovers for walkers on the day of the event.

Founder and Chief Executive of Walk the Walk, Nina Barough CBE said: “I am delighted that so many of Edinburgh’s historic buildings and landmarks will be lighting up pink for all our MoonWalkers. If you haven’t yet signed up, what an incentive to pull on your trainers, get a team together and take on a walking challenge – maybe the 6.55 miles New Moon, which is just perfect for families. Imagine as a ten year old, looking up at Edinburgh Castle or Lloyds on the Mound, knowing that they are lit up pink just for you – to give you a personal hug of encouragement, as you walk through the City’s streets! A huge thank you to the whole City of Edinburgh, including our friends at lighting company Black Light, for uniting with us against breast cancer and turning the City ‘MoonWalk’ pink”!   

Setting off from Holyrood Park, Edinburgh at Midnight, women and men wearing brightly decorated bras will take on one of four walking challenges:- The New Moon (6.55 miles – open to people aged 10 and over), Half Moon (13.1 miles), Full Moon (26.2 miles) or Over The Moon (52.4 miles).

Registration for the double marathon Over The Moon is now closed, but entries for the shorter distances are open until Midnight on Monday 28^th May. 

More than 80,000 walkers have taken part in The MoonWalk Scotland since the event started in 1996, and so far, more than £20.5 million has been raised to improve the lives of those living with cancer in the country.

The MoonWalk Scotland 2018 is on Saturday 9 June. Sign up now at walkthewalk.org

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ENDS

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 741 430 [email protected]

Notes to editors:

The MoonWalk Scotland 2018

• Saturday 9^th June 2018, Holyrood Park Edinburgh
• Three walking challenges are available: New Moon (6.55 miles), Half Moon (13.1 miles), Full Moon (26.2 miles). NB registration for Over The Moon (52.4 miles) is now closed.
• This year’s theme is ‘Hollywood comes to Holyrood’.
• The New Moon costs £32.50 for adults and £15 for Young Walkers aged 10-12
• The cost of entering the Half Moon and Full Moon is £49.50 – minimum age 13
• Walkers taking part in the New Moon, Half Moon or Full Moon are asked to raise a minimum of £100 in sponsorship, with Young Walkers asked to simply raise as much as they can

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. 
• Walk the Walk has so far raised in excess of £125 million.
• As a grant-making charity, all funds are raised for Walk the Walk are 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. 
• Walk the Walk is the principal funder of the Maggie’s Centre at Gartnavel, Glasgow and Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert. A grant was also made towards the Lanark Centre in the grounds of Monklands Hospital in Airdrie. Maggie’s Centres offer support to people diagnosed with all types of cancer, as well as providing emotional support for their families.
• Walk the Walk has also funded the renovation of Ward 6, a new theatre and renovation of the Mammography Unit at the Breast Cancer Institute at Edinburgh’s Western General Hospital.
• Walk the Walk is committed to providing funding to hospitals across Scotland and the UK to purchase Scalp Cooling systems, special machines which are helping many people undergoing chemotherapy to retain their hair. Walk the Walk has funded 57 Scalp Coolers in 26 Scottish hospitals.
• ‘The MoonWalk’ is the flagship event of the charity currently held in London, Scotland and Iceland.