It was raining men at a charity event in Wrexham – or at least men dressed as women.
Torrential rain greeted more than 70 men dressed up to the nines for the third annual Nightingale House Hospice Drag Walk which started and finished at the Eagles Meadow shopping centre.
Despite the appalling weather Laura Parry, Nightingale House Hospice’s Community Events manager, was delighted with the turn-out for the three mile sponsored walk.
She said: “It’s absolutely amazing and we really do appreciate the efforts of all the guys for talking part.
“This is the third year we have held the event and this is the first time we have started from Eagles Meadow.
“We are grateful participants have been given a parking concession by Vinci while Gregg’s the bakers have supplied every walker with a hot sausage roll at the end of the walk.
“As an added incentive Frankie and Benny’s have supported us buy offering massive discounts to walkers too which is brilliant.”
Laura added: “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.”
Eagles Meadow Manager Kevin Critchley was full of admiration for all of the participants.
He said: “With the weather being so awful, they’ve certainly gone above and beyond the call of duty – but it’s all in very good cause and they did look a treat.”
One walker, in a team of four made up of three managers of 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 ove rthe 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.
Andy 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.”
Jim Gill, 67, of Salford met up with Dave Griffiths, 55, of Shotton on the start line having met each other at last year’s event.
Jim said: “I took part a year ago as I saw it advertised and thought it was a brilliant idea and a lot of fun. The weather could have been better for this year’s walk but it doesn’t matter.
“I met Dave last year and recognised each other when we arrived at the start line so we shall probably walk together.”
Dave Griffiths who works for Deeside hairdressing supply company Aston and Fincher, said: “I wanted to help Nightingale House Hospice as it’s such a worthwhile charity that needs as much help as it can get.
“The drag walk is a great laugh and it was good to meet up with Jim who I met at last year’s event.”
Wrexham lads, Daniel Hellyn, 27, and Anthony Statham, 41, joined forces to tackle the Walk in their best ladies outfits.
Daniel said: “It a great laugh and such an important charity. I’m hoping to raise around £200. The weather could have been better but who a cares, raising money is what it is all about.”
Anthony added: “I’m not sure how women manage to wear stuff like this everyday but it’s worth it if we raise a good amount of cash. It is a charity I feel very strongly about supporting.”
Mark Salisbury, 49, a Nightingale House Hospice volunteer and a Wrexham Pantomime Company performer, dressed in a stunning dame’s outfit to warm the walkers up before they set off although injury prevented him from taking part in the actual walk.
He said: “I was delighted to be asked to come along and give the lads a few warm up exercises to do. I’m actually on crutched at the moment so couldn’t do the walk myself.
“The Drag Walk is a brilliant idea and starting and finishing here at Eagles Meadow is an inspired choice of venue.”
