Drag Walkers Brave The Elements For Nightingale House

Torrential rain greeted more than 70 men dressed up to the nines for the third annual Nightingale House Hospice Drag Walk through Wrexham yesterday

Despite the appalling weather event organisers were delighted with the turn-out for the three mile sponsored walk which raised a whopping £8500 for the hospice.

One walker, in a team of four made up of three managers from Wrexham-based Gap Personnel and a supervisor from Plus Foods, had an extra incentive for his fundraising drag exploits.

Adam McGrath, 22, of Wrexham says his granddad, who suffers motor neurone disease, has been a patient at Nightingale House for the past two years.

He said: “The treatment Taid has had has been just brilliant. All the staff are wonderful and treat everyone with such respect.

“They have made things so much easier for all the family while Taid has been suffering from this horrible illness over the past two years. That’s why when I heard about the Drag Walk I had to join in.

“Between my colleagues at Gap, Vaughn Parry and Gary Richards, and Rob Jones who works at Plus Foods, we have raised around £900 which is brilliant.”

Andy Wright, 47, the licensee of the Black Lion pub in Rhos headed a team of nine regulars who took part in the walk.

He said: “I have a lot more respect for women now as I didn’t realise how hard it was to walk about in high heels!

“Seriously we try to raise as much money for Nightingale House as we can. It’s a brilliant charity and deserves all the help it can get. One of our regulars, Steve Davies, lost his dad to cancer a few years ago and the hospice gave him so much wonderful care.”

Steve Davies said: “My dad Keith Davies passed away four years ago and as a family we could never thank Nightingale House enough for the wonderful care they gave my dad and they way we were treated as a family.

“I am so glad to be able to help by taking part in this drag walk, however daft I feel, as I want to support them for what they did for us and so many other families too.”

Laura Parry, Nightingale House Hospice’s Community Events manager said: “It’s absolutely amazing and we really do appreciate the efforts of all the guys for talking part.

“The hospice needs £2.5 million a year to keep going of which only 18% comes from statutory sources. That’s why we rely on events such as this to boost our income and means we can continue to offer the services we do.”

“As well as thanking all the fantastic walkers and volunteers who made this event happen we would also like to show our appreciation of the support we received from Eagles Meadow Team, Vinci Parking, Greggs, Icon Imagery, Radio Active, Odeon Wrexham, Frankie & Bennies, St John Ambulance and North Wales Police.”