Dorret Conway

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I arrived at Meadowlands with my friend Mia at 9.00 pm on Saturday 16th June 2007 for the party and count down to the start of the Moonwalk -  full marathon 26.2 miles starting a midnight. (Mia was a work colleague of Helen and Helen introduced us. We have become great friends)

It was cold, wet and grey and the park was already very muddy. When Nina Barough, founder and Chief Executive of Walk the Walk Worldwide, came up on stage to do the welcome, she admitted that she was worried when she saw the forecasts and Saturday’s weather that no-one would turn up!

Well Nina didn’t need to worry. 10,000 of us turned up - our spirits certainly not dampened by the great British summer weather. They came from far and wide - including Scotland England Spain America. Everyone committed to collecting the sponsorship money we have been pledged, to demonstrate our support for the cause, to remember loved ones and to help find a cure for this disease. And to show off our bras!!
Here Mia & I are proud to be wearing our bras decorated withthe Noni Forget-Me- Not! We bra-ved (sorry!) the elements and did the whole event dressed like this.

The organisation of the event is outstanding and impressive down to the last detail. We were entertained by an excellent swing band appropriately called - Shwing!….

…and we had a free massage before setting off. Well done to the team of volunteers who did the massages: they did a fantastic job and probably qualify for the Guiness Book Of Records!

I couldn’t take pictures of everybody but here are a few of the people who took part in the Edinburgh Moonwalk 2007:

Mia and I completed the walk in 8 hours and the thought of breakfast in the hotel and a shower before the 4-hour drive home kept us going!

It dawned at 4 am but it remained quite grey and cold. We saw most of the great city en-route. I don’t think there were any of Edinburgh’s landmarks that were not on the route incuding the Royal Yacht Britannia which is moored at Leith and the impressive castle from quite a few different perspectives. We began with a climb through Holyrood Park but as we came back through the park we were able to see much more of the sights - including the palace and the new parliament, and the swans on the lake watching us watching them watching us… do they never sleep??

So here we are at 8 am on Sunday 17th June 2007 back at Meadowlands, 8 hours and 26.2 miles, later proudly wearing our medals before whizzing off for a well-earnded full “Scottish”, well perhaps not whizzing off, but we certainly went as quickly as our tired little legs could take us!

Mia & I raised about £400 in sponsorship - excluding the Noni pattern sales. Walk the Walk (Moonwalk organisers) were demonstrating a scalp cooling machine which helps cancer patients to keep their hair during chemotherapy treatment. It is just one example of the way in which the funds have been used.

The pattern for the Noni Forget-Me-Not flower is still available to buy (see - Noni Forget me Not pattern for stockists).

It makes a nice added touch for knitting projects - we got lots of compliments - whilst contributing to a good cause: 100% of the profits from the Noni forget-me-not pattern sales will be donated to breast cancer charities Walk the Walk in the UK and the Susan G Komen Foundation in the USA.

You don’t have to stick to the blue and pink; you can make the Noni forget-me-not flowers in any of the wide range of colours available in the yarn. If you would like the pattern for the ruffle on Mia’s bra, contact me and I will happily forward it to you. And if you send pictures of your completed projects I will be delighted to publish them on my blog.

Today I feel a little bit stiff - I have to gently coax my leg muscles to work each time I get up from sitting down - but apart from that, I am back at my desk working today. And this evening I have been invited for a meal at a lovely restaurant - to replace all those carbs I burnt up on the walk and so I don’t have to do the cooking tonight.

I did the Moonwalk for Helen, for her daughters, for my daughter and for their daughters. The Moonwalkers made thousands of steps to raise funds and awareness but there is 1 easy step if you would like to contribute: simply buy the Noni Forget me Not pattern! What could be easier?

Click here if you would like to take part in next year’s Moonwalk, or if you would like more details about the charity and its work.

Happy knitting and happy walking!

Dorret