Well, actually it should be 11 years but a virus got in the way. So pushing aside the exact details, its a milestone we are really proud of, while still remaining close to our hearts. In the picture yo can see participants showing their back signs, which display names of their loved ones.
The backstory
In 2010 our MD was hosting the York Race for Life event for our local radio station at the time Minster FM. Simon arrived to find the CRUK event organiser on the phone to the PA company asking where they were, at that point 1 hour late. The field was starting to fill up with participants and Simon was just stood around.
The contracted PA company turned up and only just got the speakers working in time for the Race for Life event to start. Simon mentioned to the CRUK event manager that we could provide a better service. So in 2011 we were given 6 events out of the 22 in the Yorkshire region. A year later in 2012 we were asked to provide PA and stage assistance for the full 22 events. And the rest they say is history.
We thought is would be good to have a look at some stats of what that has meant for the charity and participants in the last decade, based in the Yorkshire region. Soapy Productions has been involved in;
- 204 Race For Life, Pretty Muddy & Shine walk events
- 22 Different Cities and Towns across Yorkshire
- 185,000 people and more in front of the CRUK stage*
- £16,650,000 and more raised for the charity*
*The figures are based on the average amount of people attending the events over a season and the average money raised per person.
As we hit our 10th year in 2022 we asked the charity what it means for them and why they keep working with us.
Emma Willis – Senior Regional Events Manager (North)
“The Events Team at Cancer Research UK are proud to re-new our contract with The Soapy Group to enter our 10th year working together. Simon and his team have always provided us with such a great service and supported Cancer Research UK as a charity, we look forward to working with them in the years ahead. Simon and his team are friendly, knowledgeable and have delivered an excellent provision across our Race For Life, Pretty Muddy and Shine Night Walk events over the last 9 years helping our events run as smoothly and effectively as possible.”
We love working with Cancer Research UK as a client but for Simon our MD it has more of a personal connection. His Mum, Susan Hudson battled cancer 3 times in her later years and sadly passed away in 2007.
“The York Race for Life is particulary hard, my Mum was a participant in the event a year before she died. So going back to the Knavesmire every year is hard but I know she would be proud of the work I have done with Cancer Research UK the past 10 years.”
The CRUK season starts in May this year in Leeds, followed by 22 further fund raising events up to the end of the summer.
