May is National Walking Month and we have chosen Nina Barough as our Diversity Champion for the work she does as founder of the ‘Walk the Walk’ charity which raises money for and awareness of breast cancer.

Walk the Walk was born when Nina and some friends decided to power walk the 1996 New York marathon dressed in their bras, the idea being to raise some money for breast cancer. Not long after this successful event Nina discovered that she herself had breast cancer.  To support her, friends took part in the 1997 London marathon and in 1998 25 walkers claimed their place.  However word was spreading and some people who wanted to were unable to take part, so therefore Nina decided to put on a marathon walk especially for them starting the night before the London marathon and so it began!  Walk the Walk became a charity in 1998 and the patron is Prince Charles.

There are now several ‘Walk the Walk’ events in Britain the best known being the Moonwalks in London and Edinburgh and the Sunwalks in Bristol, Newcastle and Southampton. There are also events taking place in New York as well.

These days the London Moonwalk has grown into a huge annual event taking place during May, with thousands upon thousands of women and men of all ages taking part walking through the night for an amazing cause. Each year there is a different theme for the event, this year the theme is Rockabilly.

The charity has raised millions of pounds in the last 16 years and so far this year has raised £1,659,312.

If you would like to know more about Nina and Walk the Walk have a look at their website at http://www.walkthewalk.org/Home.