Staff and students at Bradley Stoke Community School (BSCS) are appealing for girls and women from the local community to join them in a local ‘Race for Life’ that takes place on Thursday 27th June at 4pm.
Local people are being asked to “jog, dance or run” 1-mile around the perimeter of the school to raise money for Cancer Research.
A publicity poster for the event promises:
“It will be a fun event, we are hoping students will get involved with wearing fancy dress, face painting, nail varnish and prizes for the best fancy dress outfits.”
Anyone wishing to take part should meet on the Astroturf pitch at the school from 3.45pm on the day of the race.
The school is encouraging boys and men to get involved too “by sponsoring the girls, cheering them on and baking cakes”.
For further information, contact Lauren MacNeil at BSCS (tel: 01454 868840).
Race for Life is the UK’s biggest fight against cancer and the largest women-only fundraising event in the UK.
Since Race for Life started in 1994, an incredible six million participants have raised over £493million, more than any other UK event series raising money to fund cancer research.
Money raised has been used to fund the work of over 4,000 researchers, doctors and nurses dedicated to helping more people beat cancer.
Sexist event
Agreed, imagine the outcry if it was a male only event and the wives and daughters were asked to “bake cakes and cheer their men on”
Race for Life was started by women affected by cancer and has become successful due to the dedication of it’s participants.
There has been male only races organised – google race for life men and you will see them, and cancer research campaign also used to do a Bobby Moore race for men only but this stopped due to lack of participants.
If you would like to organise a men’s only run I will be more than willing to bake cakes and sponsor and support you as I am fully aware that male cancer kills just the same as female cancer.
Why bother having 2 single sex races then? Combine them and give everyone the opportunity to participate together, united in the fight against cancer.
@Richard
This has also been discussed by the Cancer Research Campaign. Please look at Race for Life for more information.
I’m afraid case doesn’t stack up. We need Race For Life to realise they are just plain wrong. The events need to be equally open to both sexes.
@Jen, I read the article on the Race for life site, and found it highly amusing that they believe that opening the event “to allow men to enter could bring in less income for the charity’s life saving work” is not only stupid but insulting to those of us with an intellect.
However there is a key phrase that gives away the reason why they will keep this as a sexist event, and that is “The atmosphere on the day of Race for Life events has a strong sense of sisterhood” meaning that they do not want to alienate the women who do attend.
I have no problem with those who do attend or those who organise and co-ordinate these events that raise a lot of money for a great cause but to exclude people based purely on their sex is immoral, sexist, stupid and some may say illegal.
Perhaps more men should attempt to enter these events and then lets see what happens.
As a regular recreational runner I can see both sides here. Personally I don’t have any problem at all entering events which are both for men and women but the atmosphere at something like Race for Life is totally different to your average race. Men are generally so much more competitive than women and the whole thing becomes so much more serious. Many women who don’t usually run or even walk 3 miles would be put off entering the event if it became mixed hence the concern about loss of revenue. If you want to raise money for Cancer Research there are loads of fund raising opportunities and loads of other local 5k/10k/half marathon/marathon/multi terrain/challenge events you can enter see runnersworld.co.uk for comprehensive events listings.
If you feel that strongly about it organise a mens fundraising run and I too will gladly support you.
Of course the school also supported Movemeber, no chance of us ladies joining in there!
Anne can you please give me evidence of exactly when a woman has been knowingly excluded by a man from participating in Movember.
I seem to remember a big fuss about women being excluded from golf clubs, that was overturned by legislation stating that it was illegal to do so. Apparently the same does not apply to fundraising.
Also no-one should HAVE to organise a single sex fundraising event, surely the whole point is to raise as much money as possible and surely including everyone has a better chance than excluding some.
What next, events that promote ageism or racism?
Movember… As much as I’d like to join in, I don’t seem to be able to grow a moustache therefore excluding me from actively participating in this particular event. So by it’s nature it is a single sex event. I could demand that in the name of equality that women should be able to participate by letting their armpit hair grow for a month but that would be a really rubbish idea.
I support men who participate in Movember, and they support women who do Race For Life. As already said, if you want to do a race for charity there plenty out there, or you could do a 10k race (or what ever distance you like), and get sponsored for doing it. You could even ask other people to do it as a team. And if there is not one you want to do then organise one yourself!
If you feel that the Race For Life is illegal on grounds of discrimination then I am sure you could clarify this by consulting with someone who has knowledge in this area of Law.
I want to take part in race for life but I’m barred, not because of an anatomical impossibility but through sexism. Simples
There are men taking part- they are dressing as women. Gregg- put some knickers on and get involved.
Photos from yesterday’s Race for Life at BSCS now on PicasaWeb and Facebook.