Peter May’s Marine Pink Ladies
Article by Susan Nugent
A convoy of cars left Barry Lenton’s house transporting an assortment of highly decorated and glamorous pink ladies to the Holy Family High School to take part in the fifth Ladies Midnight Walk organised by Jospice.
Two seasons ago, Peter May, an avid childhood fan of Marine FC, died after a year-long battle with cancer, he spent the last few months of his life in Jospice, Thornton. Peter helped to produce the fanzine, Periscope and he also played in the supporters’ football team.
He reacted to the news that his brain tumour was terminal by throwing himself into fundraising for Jospice, raising £7,000 while also undergoing his treatment. Before he died Peter raised money by being sponsored to walk dressed as a woman in the Ladies Midnight Walk. Peter was the only man who had ever been allowed to take part in this event.
Pat Murphy, Director of Fundraising for Jospice, was approached by Barry Lenton back in March and asked if Marine fans could take part in the walk in Peter’s memory, with all the males taking part dressed as women in order to raise money for Jospice.
Pat Murphy responded positively to the request from Barry replying;
“Good to hear from you. Yes, I remember Peter’s efforts well on the night of the Night walk – a very brave guy. I think it would be a great tribute and a lot of fun for a team from Marine to walk in his memory. Remember dressed as girls! Let me know when you are all registered, and we will certainly get some publicity on this one – it’s a “nice” story. The paper is always looking for a story such as this. Medicash our major supporter for the walk who probably want to pick up on this as well".
The original idea was to raise around £500 in sponsorship for Jospice, however, this was quickly succeeded by a target of £1000 as the original target was well and truly beaten.
So the Peter May’s Marine Pink Ladies were born, though it has to be said that some made more convincing women than others! On Friday evening 18 Marine fans, 14 of them male (many from the now famous Marine Band) made a huge effort and dressed in pink outfits (lent free by the Costume Fancy Dress Shop in King's Street, Southport) and many of them wearing make-up and pink bunny ears took part in what has become an annual walk to raise money for Jospice. Around 500 people registered to take part in this event.
The 2 youngest male members of the group (ages 10 and 12) had daringly dressed in pink sequinned tutus. To say the group caused a stir is something of an understatement. They arrived en masse and led by Barry Lenton (who had pulled out all the stops with his magnificent outfit and make up) they attracted a great deal of enthusiastic attention from the real ladies as they queued to register. Indeed they were in immediate demand for a photo call by the Jospice publicity team who were delighted with the amount of effort made by one and all.
Barry Murray also attracted a huge amount of individual attention (and envy) as he was sporting a 50 inch chest. Many photos were taken by fellow walkers of the “ladies” as they awaited the countdown to midnight and the official start of the walk. Steven Moore and Jim Thompson, who had come up from Birmingham and were Peter's best friends, said they thought that Peter was with the group in spirit and laughing his head off. The Catholic Pictorial also took photos of the group as the walk got underway.
The walk itself took just under 2 hours to complete despite the compulsory photo call outside the Arriva Stadium and was great fun. It was punctuated by a huge amount of good natured banter, requests for photos, dates (yes really!) and a great deal of horn blowing from passing traffic.
At the end of the walk Pat Murphy told Barry Lenton that she was delighted by the participation of Peter May's Marine Pink Ladies who look on course to have collected over £2,000 (twice the original target). Indeed, she has asked if they will consider taking part in it again next year. Barry Lenton said “Walking along College Road in a pink gingham mini dress, feather boa, bunny ears and pink handbag has always been a personal ambition of mine but next time I hope it’s a bit warmer. By 1.30am with a chilly wind blowing up my skirt I was freezing!”
Somewhere in the region of £35,000 was raised on the night.
It is anticipated that the Peter May’s Marine Pink Ladies will join the walk again next year in even greater numbers to raise much needed money for Jospice. Many people who due to other commitments couldn’t join the walk this year have already expressed a desire to take part next year.
