The St. Rocco’s Starlight Ladies Walk, one our biggest fundraising events of the year, just wouldn’t be possible without the volunteers who stay up all night to marshal the route and keep the ladies safe. Their support and encouragement is the thing that is most commented on by ladies following on from the event.

For Chris and John Hegan it will be their fourth year as Starlight marshals which last year raised over £115,000 to support patient care at St. Rocco’s.

Chris knows what it’s like to take part in Starlight as she has walked in the past. It rained all the way round but that didn’t dampen her spirits,

“There was a group of about half a dozen of us and it was fabulous. We spurred each other on so you were hardly aware of how far you’d come or how long you still had to go. It was a great night.”

They decided to marshal because they wanted to give something back after a close family relative was cared for by St. Rocco’s.

“We didn’t think we would enjoy being out in the cold and possibly the wet all night, but we love it!” said John, “It’s a great atmosphere.”

They both love to attend the briefing for marshals which take place in the run up to the event.

“We get to see everyone and it helps us to feel involved. It means that there is not long to go until the event - it’s quite exciting,” says Chris.

The pair usually has their regular ‘spot’ on Kingsway and set themselves up with a table, hot drinks, snacks and sweets to share with the ladies. Plus a brolly of course – just in case!

“It’s quite quiet until the ladies arrive; we see all the flashing lights first and then the walkers appear. The nicest thing is that so many of the ladies thank us for looking after them as they go by.”

Usually it’s uneventful but every so often something out of the ordinary happens.

“We once had a walker who had to stop at our station because she was expecting and hadn’t even told her friend she was walking with! Fortunately everything was fine and we contacted our Head marshal to arrange for her to be picked up,” explained John.

“And then there was the lady whose battery on her mobility scooter sadly went flat just after she passed us. But at least the fairy lights decorating the scooter were still flashing! Again, the head marshal arranged for her to get back safely and all was well,” adds Chris.

Afterwards they go home for a few hours’ sleep but say they rarely have a lie-in. This year they have a holiday booked – carefully planned for after the Starlight Walk, of course!

If you would like to support patient care at St. Rocco’s by being part of the marshals’ team on Saturday 23^rd June, please sign up here or email volunteering@stroccos.org.uk

Or if you’d like to join over 1,000 ladies raising vital sponsorship by walking on the night, you can sign up online, registration costs £15 or call 01925 575780.