A MUCH-LOVED nighttime charity walk in Glasgow has been cancelled for 2020. 

Organisers of Cancer Research UK’s Shine Night Walk have confirmed the September event will no longer go ahead. 

The charity has taken the difficult decision to withdraw all 14 Shine 10K walking events across the UK this year to protect the country’s health as restrictions on mass gatherings caused by the COVID-19 pandemic continue.

Participants who have already signed up will be contacted directly by the charity.

Cancer Research UK expects to see its fundraising income decline by up to 25 per cent in the next financial year as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lisa Adams, Cancer Research UK spokeswoman in Scotland, said: “We remain tirelessly committed to making progress for people affected by cancer but now more than ever, support from the public will be vital. We simply will not be able to continue funding our life-saving work without it.

“We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who has taken part in Shine in the past and hope their support will continue. Last year an amazing £100,690 was raised at Shine Glasgow. It was a night to remember as people took to the streets of Scotland’s biggest city in a fun and inspirational parade of light to raise money for life-saving research. It is with a heavy heart that we have to announce that it won’t be taking place this year. The safety of our supporters, volunteers, suppliers and staff is however essential.

“We hope Shine Night Walk will be back for 2021 in Glasgow. But the battle against cancer never stops. That’s why we’d love to invite people to consider taking on their own socially distanced Shine walk and help raise funds.”

Money raised through Shine Night Walk Glasgow helps to make long-term research and pioneering clinical trials possible, leading to new tests and kinder treatments that help save the lives of more men, women and children across Scotland.

Shine participants can choose to support one of 13 different areas of scientific research.

These include prostate cancer, ovarian cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, brain cancer, children’s cancer and leukaemia. Or they can simply give their backing to Cancer Research UK’s overall work.

For more information, visit www.shinewalk.org