Three months to go and over a thousand ladies have signed up for Girls Night Out

With three months to go until the big day, more than 1,600 women have already registered to take part in the St Nicholas Hospice Care Girls Night Out sponsored walk.

The annual moonlight walk, which sees women wearing pyjamas and flashing bunny ears walk either 11.2 or six miles around Bury St Edmunds, has already attracted 1,673 entrants despite the fact it does not take place until Saturday, September 14.

Now, organisers are hopeful even more women will register to take part in this year’s walk, which is supported by main sponsor J M Finn.

Loraine Skikunas, Jessica Fleming and Julie Cowan from Brandon, will be walking their fourth Girls Night Out as team Marley’s Angels, in memory of a friend’s two-month old baby who died last year.

The team kick started their Girls Night Out fundraising with a cake stall in Brandon high street which raised £207 for the hospice.

They have also planned fundraising quiz night (July 8) and bingo night (August 5) at the Brandon Church Institute.

Loraine said: “I think the hospice is an amazing place. I went there to hand the money in we raised from a previous Girls Night Out and couldn’t believe how calm and relaxing the place was. Even my young daughter who was hyper in the car park suddenly calmed down when she looked around the beautiful gardens.”

Jenny Smith, the hospice’s events manager, said: “Every year our Girls Night Out supporters such as Marley’s Angels, really do go the extra mile for us and we are so humbled that so many have agreed to join us for this year’s event.

“There is still plenty of time for more ladies to get involved, so please speak to your friends and family about taking part.”

Girls Night Out 2018 raised £226,000 for the hospice, which cares for those in west Suffolk and Thetford with long-term and life-threatening illnesses and their families.

This year’s walk will set off from Angel Hill at 8pm and there will be medals for all of those completing the challenge, plus celebratory cupcakes and hot drinks at the finish line.

For those wishing to remember someone there will be memory boards on Angel Hill and for those walking the 11.6-mile route there will also be memory boards at the charity’s Hardwick Lane hospice.

Registration forms are available from hospice shops in Bury St Edmunds, Sudbury, Newmarket, Haverhill, Mildenhall and Brandon, or sign up at www.girlsnightoutwalk.co.uk.

Registration costs £15, including a T-shirt and pair of flashing bunny ears.

Pictured above is Loraine Skikunas, Julie Cowan and Jessica Fleming from Brandon kick starting their Girls Night Out fundraising with a cake stall in the high street.