Video: Inside a flash mob Hokey Cokey held to support 1in2 Day
Mass hokey cokeys, bus driver fancy dress and cake sales have all been held to fund Nottingham research into cancer treatment.
Thousands of people are raising money for ‘1 in 2 Day’ in support of the John van Geest cancer research centre, at the Clifton campus of Nottingham Trent University.
The centre is at the forefront of the quest to develop new treatments to beat the disease, including a vaccine for types of breast cancer.
All the money goes towards vital, life saving research
Fundraisers named 1in2 Day after the ratio of people who will be diagnosed with the disease at some point in their lifetimes.
Events included a mass Hokey Cokey at Nottingham Trent University, a horse ball tournament, a climbing wall event and a marathon on exercise bikes.
VIDEO: Maxine Sprite speaking about the hokey cokey
University employee Maxine Sprite, who organised the Hokey Cokey, said: “This was to show internal support for the cancer research centre.
1in2 Day: Find out more and donate money to life-saving research
“We have also extended this year to external organisations that support the centre so there’s a series of events running across the university.
“We’re going to go and scale the 10m wall straight after the hokey cokey!
“There are also cake stalls and tombolas happening all across the campuses where, across all activities, 100 per cent of the money goes towards vital, life saving research.”
Scientists at the lab are on the brink of major new treatments
One of the external companies that have been getting involved with the campaign is NCT buses.
Bus driver Dayne Astill has dressed up as a clown and has been going on Clifton bound buses asking people to dig in their pockets for change for the cause.
He said: “NCT have got on board and we are donating proceeds from today’s journeys and we also have been going around with a bucket collecting donations.
“We’re managing to get coppers out of the students which is a masterpiece in itself!
“My wife had thyroid cancer two years ago and have managed to cure that one as long as she keeps taking the pills so we just need to eradicate cancer of the map now.”
VIDEO: NCT bus driver Dayne Astill has been raising money for the research centre
On the Clifton Campus staff at the Erasmus Darwin building hosted a cake sale in the reception.
Subject administrator Trudy Tuffin, who also helped to bake some of the homemade cakes, said: “I decided to get involved because I’ve visited the centre and the work they’re doing is amazing.
“I personally have both friends and family that have been affected by cancer so I would like to do anything that I can to support it.
“I’ve made five different things today and we’re looking forward to selling them.”
For more on how the day unfolded see our rewind of the live social media blog of events.