IN a touching tribute to a popular colleague, 30 Skipton Building Society staff banded together and took on the stellar Moonwalk challenge.

The challenge, a 26-mile night walk through the streets of London in their bras, was to raise money for Walk the Walk who are uniting people against breast cancer, following the death of colleague Rachel Fawcett, an inspirational woman to all who knew her.

Through the Moonwalk challenge, bake sales, raffles, tombolas and sponsors, amongst other fundraising initiatives, Rachel’s Rainbows have raised £12,000, all of which will go to Walk the Walk.

Rachel was a working mum with a great love of life. Full of wit and humour, Rachel was a storyteller, sharing tales of her adventures and experiences.

In 2007, her life was thrown upside down as she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Despite the disease, she was determined to keep life as normal as possible for her young children and continued her day to day life, whilst taking on the fight against cancer.

After finishing her treatment successfully, Rachel continued to raise money for cancer charities, paricularly breast cancer.

Raising thousands of pounds, Rachel took part in the Sunwalk, 10k runs, the Yorkshire Three Peaks, and even took part in the Moonwalk herself.

Then in 2013, she was devastated to find the cancer had returned, this time in her spine. In 2017 Rachel celebrated her 50th birthday, her son turned 16, her daughter became a teenager and she celebrated her 20th wedding anniversary with her much loved husband. She died that year.

Her colleagues have united as Rachel’s Rainbows to continue her fight against cancer.

Alison Davies, Head of Digital at Skipton and close friend of Rachel, said: “Rachel was one of the most beauitful and kindest souls, taken from us too soon. She inspired everyone who knew her. But together we will not let her memory fade and we will continue the fight against cancer in her name.

"A team of thirty colleagues and friends came together to take on this 26-mile walk, from across the whole Skipton network, which just shows the amazing impact Rachel had on those who knew her.”

Walk the Walk Founder and Chief Executive Nina Barough said: “Walk the Walk is a charity that is passionate about raising money and awareness to help find a cure, and even better prevention, against breast cancer.

"Huge leaps forward have been made with our knowledge for early detection, diagnosis and treatment, giving those with primary cancers choices and every chance of a life after cancer.

"Our aim is to now firmly focus on giving those with secondary cancers that same choice of treatment and that choice of life.

"It is only by each of us uniting together that we can hope to achieve this and it is both wonderful and exciting to see Rachel’s Rainbows bringing generations together that will and can make a difference.

"Our moto is Choose life – no time for wasting and with such energy and determination we will win the day.”