Brooklands Museum turns Mini Concorde Purple to mark the start of Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month

The start of Pancreatic Cancer Month was marked by Brooklands Museum on Sunday November 1 by bathing its gate guardian, Mini Concorde, in purple hues. 

Previously standing at the entrance of Heathrow Airport, the 40% scale model of Concorde is now angled majestically in its take-off position on Brooklands Drive, Weybridge, Surrey.  Concorde is just one of the aircrafts that forms an 80 year legacy of aviation manufacture, design and testing at Brooklands.

Across the UK other Landmarks have also been illuminated in purple, including Blackpool Tower, Queen Elizabeth Hall in London and Edinburgh Castle.  It is part of Pancreatic Cancer UK’s awareness initiative called Purple Lights for Hope that uses iconic buildings and landmarks to celebrate those who have survived pancreatic cancer, as well as remember those who have lost their battle with the disease.

Brooklands Museum was delighted to help out when Weybridge resident Susan Speece approached them last year about the idea and this is the second year that Mini Concorde has been specially lit. Susan first became involved with Pancreatic Cancer UK after her own mother’s diagnosis. When her mother passed away, Susan became more involved with the charity, firstly as a volunteer, then subsequently working on the Purple Lights for Hope project, and currently runs a London support group for those who have been affected by pancreatic cancer. Susan, on seeing Mini Concorde, said “I am so pleased this iconic landmark in Weybridge was illuminated on November 1 marking the start of Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month.”

Pancreatic cancer has the lowest survival rate of all the 21 most common cancers in the UK with only around 4% of people diagnosed surviving five years or more. This figure has hardly changed in 40 years and it is the 5th most common cause of all cancers in the UK, although it is predicted that by 2030 that pancreatic cancer will overtake breast cancer as the 4th most common cancer killer. To find out more about the charity, visit: http://www.pancreaticcancer.org.uk