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Hundreds join Headscarf Hustle on Humber Bridge

Shirley Henry
BBC News
BBC A large crowd of people, the vast majority women, warm up for a four-mile run. Many are wearing pink headscarves. At the front, two women are dressed in vintage headscarves, aprons and cardigans with competitor numbers pinned to the clothes.BBC
Many of those taking part donned headscarves and even 1960s-style "pinny" aprons

Four-hundred fundraisers in headscarves crossed the Humber Bridge on Sunday to raise money for a statue to honour four pioneering women from Hull.

The Headscarf Revolutionaries fought to improve safety in the fishing industry following the Triple Trawler Tragedy of 1968.

The four-mile walk or run across the bridge was in its second year, with entries doubling this time around.

Organiser Sam Barlow, of the charity Fitmums & Friends, said she was "absolutely delighted" with the turnout for a "very important" cause.

A woman smiles while standing in a large car park. She has frizzy light-brown hair and there is a pink bow in it. She is wearing a pink shirt with a yellow hi-vis vest over the top of it.
Sam Barlow said the event offered people a chance to get active while supporting the statue campaign

She said: "We doubled our entries from last year and we sold out in advance of the event.

"So it just shows you that people are passionate about the cause and passionate about coming together."

In 1968, 58 men lost their lives at sea when, in quick succession, the Hull trawlers St Romanus, Kingston Peridot and Ross Cleveland went down with only a sole survivor, Harry Eddom.

Three women and a man pose in a line and smile while standing in a large car park. The women are wearing pink tops and pink headscarf bows. The man is wearing an orange zip-up top, blue jeans and a pink headscarf.
BBC Look North presenter Peter Levy, who started the event, with some of those taking part

The "triple trawler tragedy" resulted in a campaign led by Lillian Bilocca, Christine Smallbone, later known as Christine Jensen, Mary Denness and Yvonne Blenkinsop, who became known as the Headscarf Revolutionaries.

They established the Fisherman's Charter, which was a demand for better safety standards in the fishing industry, such as a radio operator on every ship, better safety equipment and improved training.

Dozens of runners, mainly women and many wearing pink, set off from the start line of a charity run.
Places for the second annual event were fully booked, organisers have said

Fitmums & Friends hosted the event in partnership with Curly's Athletes.

Councillor Tracey Henry, who chairs the Headscarf Revolutionaries Statue Group, also took part.

She said the statue could cost about £250,000 to build, but the group was beginning to look at potential locations in the city centre.

"These ladies still tell a story now and will do into the future," she said.

"It's about making sure these ladies are seen, they're heard and never ever forgotten."

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