WITNEY is once again gearing up for its annual Pink Day, and this year the popular charity event will kick off with a parade of pink cars through the town centre.

The ladies of the Witney Action Group of the Abingdon charity Against Breast Cancer are pulling out the stops to make 2013 Witney in the Pink Day, on Saturday from 10am to 4pm, bigger and better than ever.

The event, which sees the town centre festooned in hundreds of pink balloons and shop windows decorated on a pink theme, regularly raises more than £5,000 for the charity’s research into breast cancer.

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The pink car parade is scheduled for 10am, followed by the official opening by the Mayor of Witney, Peter Dorward.

Abingdon town crier Penny Clover will also be in attendance to announce the proceedings.

As well as a tin collection, a busy programme of street entertainment will include performances from Witchwood School of Rock, Witney Town Band, Hazazz Belly Dancers, The Renaissance Girls, Jive Plus, Ducklington Morris, The Clown Within and West Oxfordshire Academy of Performing Arts.

There will be bric-a-brac, cake and jewellery stalls outside the Post Office in High Street, and a tombola and balloons for the children under the Woolgate Centre clocktower.

Prizes will be awarded for the best decorated pink shop window and to the best pink-dressed shop staff.

“We are hoping the people of Witney and the surrounding area will once again give their brilliant support for Witney in the Pink Day,” said Jeanne Chattoe, chairman of the Witney Action Group, who herself has recently completed treatment for breast cancer.

“It’s a wonderful community event, and the atmosphere in Witney on Pink Day is fantastic with all the pink balloons, shop windows and people dressed in pink.

“We’re hoping to raise a lot of money for Against Breast Cancer and its ground-breaking research into finding a vaccine to prevent this terrible disease.”

More pink vehicles are sought for the parade, plus bric-a-brac and cake donations, which can be dropped off outside the Post Office from 8am on Saturday.

For more information about the day’s events, please e-mail witneyinthepink@live.com or call 01993 848539.