Falmouth turns pink as Mermaid March raises £23K for hospital

Falmouth turned a different colour for one evening in August, and for once it wasn’t the sea. More than 1,000 people filled the streets in wigs, tails and glitter for this year’s Pink Wig Mermaid March, and by the time the last of them reached the finish, the event had raised more than £23,000 for the Mermaid Centre at Royal Cornwall Hospital.

More than 1,000 turn out for the evening walk

Supporters of all ages joined the march through Falmouth, walking together in support of everyone affected by breast cancer. The organisers, Royal Cornwall Hospitals Charity, described it as an unforgettable evening of fundraising, fun and community spirit, and the numbers back that up. A sea of pink wigs, mermaid tails and headphones moved through the town as walkers, donors and people cheering from the side-lines all played their part in pushing the total past £23,000.

Men took part for the first time this year

📷Credit: Royal Cornwall Hospitals Charity

This year’s march had one addition that hadn’t featured before. Men joined in for the first time, a change the charity says recognises the wider impact breast cancer has on families, friends and loved ones, not only on the people diagnosed with it. It meant the crowd of pink wigs and glitter this year looked a little different to previous marches, with husbands, brothers, sons and friends walking alongside the regular supporters.

Where the £23,000 will go

The money raised will go towards enhancing care, facilities and support for breast cancer patients and their families across Cornwall, delivered through the Mermaid Centre at Royal Cornwall Hospital. Royal Cornwall Hospitals Charity thanked everyone who walked, donated, sponsored or turned out to cheer, saying it is together that supporters are making a real difference to the centre’s work.

A long list of sponsors made the evening possible

📷Credit: Royal Cornwall Hospitals Charity

Behind an event of this size sits a long list of local support. The charity gave a special shout out to its volunteers and to the organisations who backed this year’s march, among them Aspects Holidays, Balaena, Bow Falmouth, Conscious Wealth, DeluxX, Falmouth Marine Band Cornwall, Falmouth Week, The Greenbank Hotel, Kernow Coatings, Made for Life Organics UK, Nevada Construction Ltd, Radicatus, ssssilentdisco.co.uk, Southwest Bars and Events and Watson Marlow Fluid Technology Solutions.

The raffle had its own list of generous backers too. Extra thanks went to Mark at Nevada, The Greenbank Hotel, Praa Sands Leisure, The Royal Duchy Hotel and Scarlet for the prizes they donated, without which the charity says the raffle simply wouldn’t have been possible.

The march returns in 2027

The sea of pink is already booked to return to Falmouth in 2027, and early-bird tickets have gone on sale for anyone who wants to secure their place at this year’s prices before they go up.

📷Credit: Royal Cornwall Hospitals Charity