Bonkers Wears it Pink

On Friday 24 October, Bonkers, one of Market Street’s most recognisable independents, went all in for Wear It Pink, the nationwide fundraiser for the charity Breast Cancer Now. I had the chance to stop by, chat with the team, and try a deliciously pink cookie. I was welcomed with smiles, balloons, and a shopfront transformed into a rosy celebration of solidarity. The warm atmosphere also served as a reminder that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer is the UK’s most common cancer, with more than 55,000 diagnoses each year and around 1,000 deaths every month. Bonkers’ Wear It Pink captured the hope of overcoming the impact of breast cancer by championing its fundraiser for Breast Cancer Now with infectious energy.

Throughout the day, the Bonkers team hosted a bake sale stacked with pink (and non-pink) treats, face painting, a spin-the-wheel game, a Jellycat raffle, and a table of awareness ribbons and small items to spark conversation and encourage donations. For the Bonkers team, breast cancer awareness is personal. One of their colleagues, Lorna, was diagnosed in 2021. Lorna spoke about how the information, advice, and support she received from Breast Cancer Now made an enormous difference during an unimaginably difficult time. 

The charity describes its mission as providing “support for today and hope for the future.” In practice, that means funding research into prevention, detection, and treatment, campaigning for earlier diagnosis and better care, and offering trusted information and one-to-one support to anyone affected by breast cancer. Their aims are ambitious but clear: to support those affected by breast cancer by accelerating detection and improving prevention. During the Wear It Pink event, Bonkers raised more than £2,500 for this impactful organisation. 

What made Bonkers’ event quietly powerful was its “come when you can” openness. There were no speeches or schedules and no pressure to stay, just a steady flow of people dropping in, chatting with the team, buying a cookie, spinning the wheel, and adding donations. As mid-semester deadlines mount and autumn sets in, it can be tempting to keep our heads down. Wear It Pink at Bonkers, however, was a reminder to notice the shops and people who keep this town warm, and to recognise that small acts, like buying a brownie or spinning a wheel, can support our neighbours during difficult times. 

If you couldn’t make it on the day but still want to help, explore Breast Cancer Now’s resources, donate if you’re able, or simply shop locally when you can. Community is built through choice; on Friday, Bonkers made that choice easy (and made it pink).

Photo by Bonkers Team