Relay For Life is a volunteer-led event which can't take place without people like you – read about how this inspiring and successful event comes together below.
The Chair and Committee
The first thing a Relay needs is a Relay Chair – a dedicated person who volunteers to organise a Relay For Life in their area.
The Chair recruits a Relay Committee from the local community. The Committee all have dedicated roles in organising the Relay, and are supported by a member of Cancer Research UK staff.
Teams
Teams are vital to the success of a Relay For Life. Encouraged by Relay Committees and Cancer Research UK, friends and family come together to form Relay For Life teams.
Fundraising
Teams fundraise right up to and including the day of the Relay itself, by organising fun activities and events in their community – anything from quiz nights or karaoke to sponsored walks – and by using online fundraising pages.
This year we are asking each team member to try to raise at least £200 for their Relay (just £17 a month over a year's fundraising).
Survivors
A very important task of the Relay Committee is to invite members of the community who have experienced cancer to take part in the event.
Survivors have a special part to play at a Relay, as they are asked to open it with a Survivors' Lap of Honour. Survivors are also welcome to simply attend a Relay and experience the event in their own way.
Candles of Hope
Candles of Hope are dedicated by members of the community to loved ones lost to or affected by cancer. The candles are lit during the Relay's Candle of Hope ceremony, when poignant messages of remembrance and celebration glow around the Relay track.
In the lead-up to the Relay, teams are encouraged to ask members of their community to dedicate Candles of Hope, and make a donation to the Relay.
The day itself
Relays all have their own local flavour but they always contain certain key elements:
- a Survivors' Lap of Honour
- a Candle of Hope ceremony
- a closing ceremony, where everybody reflects on their fundraising achievements and looks back on a successful Relay
Find out more about what happens on the day.