Page 21 - link magazine

Swindon Wide

Breast cancer walkers celebrate Moonwalk anniversary

From The Archives with Link sight on the Moonwalk as Swindon
founding publisher Roger Ogle was the largest town represented
London’s Moonwalk marathon for several years.
on Saturday 13 May will be the The Swindon Twin Peaks group
twentieth year of the world famous continues to organise training
event, and former West Swindon walks for fitness, but participants
resident Eunice Salmon has taken now organise their own transport
part in every one of them. if they enter the Moonwalk which
From the start Link magazine was still attracts up to 17,000 people
a spur for Eunice, who now lives in annually. Eunice said former
Purton, to bring together a team of Breakthrough Breast Cancer
volunteers to organise women and Prince Charles meets Moonwalkers at Highgrove House, with Eunice branch chair Shirley Garman was
a sprinkling of blokes to take part in Salmon, left, and Nina Barough, right in September 2001 the inspiration for so much of the
the marathon through the streets of reason to take part. “The Link carried a story about activity to raise money for breast
the capital. “At first I wasn’t sure about the first Moonwalk and asked if I cancer research in the late 1990s.
The idea for an overnight walk walking in a bra and contacted was going to do another, and what “When I got involved in the
came to Moonwalk founder Nina Nina; she said think of the bra about advertising for other women Moonwalk, she told me ‘it doesn’t
Barough who had a dream to walk as a decorated garment and to join me?,” said Eunice. “I thought matter if you don’t raise any money,
the 1996 New York marathon with make a statement for the cause. about five would step forward; a you’ll be raising awareness.’
a group of women in their bras in It’s amazing how women have few weeks later 35 came to my “When she started the branch she
aid of breast cancer. The £25,000 embraced the idea and taken to the house to find out more. It was a set a target for Swindon women to
raised inspired Nina to organise a Moonwalk movement and raised shock to realise that something big raise £1 million for Breakthrough
similar outing on the night before about £113 million for women’s was about to happen.” (rebranded Breast Cancer Now).
the 1997 London marathon. cancer related charities in the last The group decided to call The network she created is still very
“I was 37 and had been thinking 19 years.” themselves Swindon Twin Peaks and active and I hope the last £76,550
of doing a marathon and saw an After walking on her own, Eunice started to organise transport as the can be achieved by 2019 which is
article about a walking marathon joined the Swindon branch of numbers who wanted to take part the tenth anniversary of her death
supporting breast cancer,” said Breakthrough Breast Cancer run kept growing. One hundred travelled from breast cancer.”
Eunice. “I had benign lumps when I by the late Shirley Garman and to London in 1998 rising to 200 “For me and so many other
was eighteen but had recently been blames Link magazine for helping walkers in 2001. women who participate, it is a
to a school reunion and was told to turn Swindon into a walking The Magic Roundabout Dougal positive way of fighting back.”
a classmate had died from breast powerhouse. decorated bra became a well known Find out about The Moonwalk at
cancer, it was a jolt and gave me a www.walkthewalk.org
A treasure trove of heritage for Swindon they had priceless interest for
Swindon historians and, indeed,
anybody interested in the town’s
By Graham Carter of Swindon Dixon and Attwell families, and in past, so it was important to find
Heritage magazine particular Mike’s grandfather, Jack them a good home.”
Swindon Heritage has been Dixon (1899-1984), who lived in A few of the items have been
awarded a £9,700 grant by the George Street, near the GWR Park deposited at the Wiltshire and
Heritage Lottery Fund to throw the in Faringdon Road. Swindon History Centre in
spotlight on a newly discovered What members of the family all Chippenham, but the majority
local treasure. had in common was: they never will be added to the Local Studies
Known as The Dixon-Attwell seemed to throw anything away. So archive at the Central Library.
Collection, it was donated to the collection paints a picture of The grant will pay for the
the Local Studies department of everyday life in Swindon for most publication of a book about the
Swindon Central Library last year, of the 20th century. collection, plus an exhibition, talks
and is made up of around 7,000 “When my parents died, I was and packs for schools, all planned
documents, photos and ephemera. left with a house full of papers and for the autumn. The collection will
The collection was donated by others items,” said Mike Attwell. be feature in future editions of
Mike Attwell and relates to three “Few items were of any real Swindon Heritage.
generations of the Swindon-based monetary value, but I recognised www.swindonheritage.com

swindonlink.com n April 2017 21

SE April 2017 Master Pages.indd 21 16/03/2017 15:49