Meet the people behind Pink Week Interview Editor, Lotte Micklethwaite, talks to some of the DUCK Pink Week team

This week, I sat down with Yas Wayland-Edgson and Ava Drysdale to talk about Pink Week. Yas Wayland is the o cer for DUCK’s Pink Week, a week of events raising awareness and money for breast cancer. Ava works with Yas as part of the Pink Week team.

Tell us about the type of events you are putting on and how you chose them?

Yas: When we first all met as a team in first term to talk about what we wanted to do, we wanted to make it accessible to everybody, and in particular to make it clear that it is not just for girls, as everyone can be a ected by breast cancer, including men, both directly and indirectly. Pink Week does not have a gender or target audience. We want everyone to feel welcome to come.

Ava: Another thing is that we wanted to focus on making it clear that it is not just alcoholic events. We have got club nights and things like that, but we also have Cake and Crochet and wholesome, relaxing events. We also have yoga and spin classes. There really is something for everybody and you can come to a variety of things on di erent days.

Pink Week is raising money for three amazing cancer charities: Breast Cancer Now, Hug in a Bag and Children’s Cancer North. Tell us a bit more about them? pictures and leaflets up in colleges and the Billy B about how to check yourself for breast cancer.

Yas: Breast Cancer Now is a major national charity that do research and provide support for those a ected and families. And then the other two charities are more local. Hug in a Bag is a local charity that provides a support bag to every person diagnosed with breast cancer in University Hospital of Durham. And this year for the first time, we have incorporated Children’s Cancer North who aren’t to do with breast cancer, but provide support and research for children a ected by cancer in the north.

Ava: Of course, a lot of the events we are holding are fun and light-hearted things that everyone can be a part of, but it is important to us that the message of what we are raising money for doesn’t get lost. We want to make sure people know how they can check themselves for breast cancer, reduce the risk of it, and generally are well informed about Ava: We have also been really keen to connect with as many people as we possibly can. We have worked with a lot of di erent groups and societies in running and publicising Pink Week. This is to encourage a variety of people to turn up. We are running our Cake and Crochet event with the Crochet Society, DU Football have trained in pink to raise awareness, we have been going to di erent events such as the Poker Ball to raise money and awareness.

Some representatives from Children’s Cancer North and Hug in a Bag are actually coming to our charity dinner at the Marriott at the end of Pink Week. At DUCK, a strong connection to our charities is really important to us.

Ava: I would say DUCK as a whole are really good at communicating with specific people within the charities. It really is a two-way relationship with the charities, and it great to know that they are so onboard with what we are doing for Pink Week. This connection is important to us as we want people who come to our events to feel connected to the charities too. The local charities, in particular, really do tug at people’s heart strings and you can really feel that connection with them as we come to see the work they are doing in our community in Durham.

What are your other aims with Pink Week?

Yas: Awareness is a really big thing for us. I have been putting

Yas: We really want to make it clear that Pink Week has something for everyone and that anyone is welcome to come along. Even if you don’t have someone to come to an event with, come along anyway. It is a brilliant way to try something you have never done before, make some friends and bond over a fun activity and

You can find out more about Pink Week and all the incredible events that have been organised on the Instagram @