Pontypool Park was packed with 20 “incredible” teams walking loops for 24-hours to raise money for Cancer Research UK.
Pontypool Relay for Life started at 11am yesterday morning and ended at 11am earlier today- Sunday 6 July.
The teams each had a baton to pass among each other when a new team member took over the next lap. SW20 Radio provided the music to keep everyone motivated. Several bands played live from the bandstand throughout the afternoon and into the early evening.
Victoria Perkins, a Pontypool Relay for Life committee member, said: “We’ve got 20 teams taking part this year, lots of new teams, lots of fresh teams and yes, it’s really good.
“The stalls have been amazing. The food vendors have been amazing and everyone’s enjoying themselves.
‘Sophie’s Rodeo’
“At 8pm, there is a special lap where we know we’re expecting lots of visitors in the park for a lap called Sophie’s Rodeo.
“So Sophie is currently receiving end-of-life care, but she’s recently had some great news that she’s been sent home because she’s doing really well with her care, so now her care is carrying on at home.
“She’s just a superstar. Her sister Steph will introduce the lap, but she’s using Sophie’s words.
“We’ll go live on our social media because there’s lots of people who want to be involved in Sophie’s Rodeo, but they live all over the UK, so we’re going to go live so they can take part.
“She’s at home in Newport, she’s doing really well and we just actually love her to bits.
“Everyone wants to come and celebrate Sophie so we’re expecting lots of pink, lots of cowboy hats, lots of Glam and it’s gonna be a really busy lap.”
‘Absolutely incredible’
Eve Perkins, comms and engagement volunteer with Pontypool Relay for Life, said the “teams are absolutely incredible” with many organising fun and creative events since last September to go towards the Relay for Life total.
She said: “They all put in the effort, which is really nice to see. Then we’ve got the schools which raise so much money again. So Llanyrafon did theirs yesterday and they also put in a team for the relay, the Llanyrafon Dream Team and they’ve raised over £4,000, so they’ve absolutely smashed it.”
She added that the Federation of Coed Eva and Blenheim Road School, and Cwmbran High School had both raised almost £2,000.
Eve said: “Griffithstown raised over £500 on Thursday, and then Woodlands are doing theirs on Monday morning.”