So the 21st of June is now famous in Leicester for two reasons… One… like everywhere else, it’s the Summer Solstice, but Two… unlike everywhere else… Leicester had a Zip Wire, seven double decker buses high, dominating our city’s skyline.
There’s been many a happy happening on Vicky Park over the years; the famous Caribbean Carnival, LCFC’s party following their premiership win, Kasabian rockin out to a sell-out crowd… among many others, but no other event was based… in the sky! The 200 metre long zip wire stretched from the pavilion, all the way down to Victoria Park Road and gave its riders the thrill of 40 mph speeds. Here at The Y, we had our fingers crossed the weather would hold out for the event and there wouldn’t be any stormy spoilers. Well that sun… she certainly kept her hat on, a tad too tight some might say… It was the hottest June day for 40 years!
So we had the Zip Wire, we had the weather… what about the folk willing to be hiked up over 30 metres into a cloudy sky?? Where were they?.. They were everywhere! There was The Y’s very own Fab Four, a big group from Berkeleys Insurance Group, and the guys from NatWest, Overdale School and Sir Jonathan North School, not forgetting all our beautiful individual supporters who thought they’d get in on the action too!
The Y, were one of three charities, people were riding the Zip Wire to support. Along with Spark Arts and Alex’s Wish, we witnessed a steady flow of Zippers throughout the day, all willing to walk off a platform at the top of a crane and zooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooom along the wire – for charity! (Obviously they had security harnesses – but all the same – it’s a blooming long way up!) These supporters kept on coming all day and not only had they paid a registration fee, they’d collected sponsorship monies along the way too! At this point we’re still counting The Y’s fundraising total, but it’s looking very likely, that we will just about topple the £3K mark – which is awesomes!!!
We’d just like to say a massive thank you to everyone who supported the three charities, the zipper/zoomers, the guys from Vertical Events – who kept the crowds calm and safe, the Vicky Park groundsmen and the passers-by who found the spectacle so exciting, they took pictures as they made their way across the park! Thanks to you all – here’s to next year x
Michelle Haggerty-Wood
