Over 50 Freemasons from the District answered the call to assist the East Lancs Hospice for their 10th annual Starlight Walk, held on the evening of Saturday 16th July. This year the walk had the theme of Superheroes and for the first time included a run for the handful of ladies who opted for it.

A small band of masons arrived at the DW Soccer Dome at 1.30 pm to set up the marshalling point, which this year was housed in the new Provincial Masonic Trailer. Once established, WBro Bellas was left on guard, whilst around 40 brethren gathered for the customary pre-event curry at the Reena Restaurant in Oswaldtwistle. Once fed and watered, the brethren made their way up to DW to get kitted out in their high-vis jackets and confirm their duties for the evening. The 300 ladies taking part this year then began to arrive for registration and many had taken the theme seriously, and there were some wonderful superhero costumes to be seen. As well as the normal warm up for the walkers, they were also treat to demonstrations from the Ribble Valley Acrobatic Academy and Street Monkeys, a fearless band of street runners and trampoline acrobats. The entertainment was compared as ever by radio presenters from 2BR. Their banter kept the evening running right up until the off.

Once the marshals were in place the walk/run began at 10.00pm. The runners completed the course in rapid time, but the walkers didn’t hang around either, and the event finished with the final walker coming home at around 12.30am, where they enjoyed a well deserved sausage butty and a warm drink. When everyone was safely back it was time to pack up the trailer and hospice equipment. The last to leave did so at around 1.45 am. All the helpers thoroughly enjoy this function, and this year was no different. A very worthwhile event, and the final total raised on the evening was £25,000 an amazing amount for the number of walkers taking part!