APHRODITE'S BRA CHAIN - HELP BREAK GUINNESS WORLD RECORD & RAISE MONEY FOR THE ARCHANGEL MICHAEL HOSPICE

From Cyprus Mail 19/6/16 - Article by Bejay Browne - Ten Years On, New attempt to break bra-chain record:

TEN years ago Paphos secured a Guinness World Record for the longest bra chain, the town ceded the title to Australia four years later. Now a group of Paphos women have pledged to win it back for Paphos in October 2017.

The four women, who are all volunteer fundraisers supporting Archangel Michael hospice or the Paphos cancer patients support group, say they have come together, to claim the title back for the coastal town.

Ruth Walton, Linda Fletcher-Locke, Kay Tzambis and Paula Vick launched the campaign – “Aphrodite’s Bra Chain,” last week and are hoping to collect 200,000 bras from all over the world to form the longest bra chain and claim victory. As well as clawing back the title for Paphos, their aim is to raise funds for Archangel Michael hospice in Mesa Chorio in Paphos, which helps care for people with all sorts of life limiting illnesses, said Walton.

“We are hoping that each donated bra could be accompanied by a ‘gold’ coin, such as a euro or a dollar or whatever currency is applicable and depending on the amount raised, this will go towards paying for the hospice nurses salary for a year,” she said.

Walton said that donations of bras will still be gratefully accepted, if a cash donation isn’t possible.
“Paula and I have our own separate wedding co-ordinate on businesses and we wanted to tap into that and see what people think.”   Walton said that the support has been overwhelming with Paphos hotels and luxury yacht companies already approaching future brides and asking if they would like to decorate a donated bra with their wedding date.

“We have only just set up a Facebook page and the numbers of likes are growing daily,” she said.
Walton said that 200,000 bras are needed to beat the current record of 166,625. The bra chain will need to be hooked together as a bra would usually be fastened, and other stipulations must be met, she said.

“The Guinness Book of Records have sent us all the information, how to validate the attempt, how to set it out and so on. We will also need a surveyor to measure the distance.”  The women are hoping that once hooked together, the bra chain will cover the entire stretch of the coastal path in Kato Paphos which runs from the Phaethon hotel, along past the harbour and up to the Ascos Hotel.

“The path is not completed in some parts but it’s still possible to walk it,” she said of the distance.
After the event, all of the donated bras will be handed over to two separate charities which will either repair them or transform them into women’s underpants, which will then be sent to women and girls in need in developing nations.

Various drop off points are currently being organised across Paphos and details are available on the campaigns dedicated Facebook page [and are listed at the end of this article].

The four women are hoping to meet the challenge in October 2017 and break the record currently held by Australia.

The longest bra chain consists of 166,625 bras, measured 163.77 km (101.7 miles) and was created by Citizens Who Care group, (Australia) at the Bundaberg Show Grounds, Australia, on 9 August 2009. The record attempt was in aid of highlighting the awareness of breast cancer and raise money to support the charity.

The Australians took the title from Cyprus, which held it for four years from 2006.
Louise Van Rooij and Gina Ghillyer started the original bid for the Cyprus title which they claimed on Sunday April 30, 2006.  It took them close to a year to collect all of the bras used, 115,000 which covered 111 km (70 miles).  The bras came from all over the world and campaigners were raising awareness for breast cancer.  It took nine hours to link the chain with bras donated from women in Alaska, Brazil, Martinique and Iran all contributing.

For further information or to help the 2017 Aphrodite’s Bra Chain record attempt contact Ruth 99389073 or search Aphrodite’s Bra Chain on Facebook.

NOTE - CONDITION OF BRAS - IT DOES NOT MATTER IF THE BRAS LOOK OLD AND/OR SAGGY !!  AND NO BIKINI TOPS AS THE BRAS NEED TO HAVE HOOKS SO THAT THEY CAN BE HOOKED TOGETHER FOR THE CHAIN.

COLLECTION POINTS:

Paphos:

Archangel Michael Hospice
Dr Mala’s Surgery
THE GROOMING ACADEMY CHLORAKAS
Jonny Boo

Samaritans Charity Shops

13 Georgiou Griva Digeni St Chlorakas
Shop 3 block 3 Aystralos Court Agapinoros St, Paphos
Limassol shop, 43 Agias Fylaxeos St, Limassol.

Wedding collection points

Kefalos Beach
Exclusive Yacht Weddings
Ethnographical Museum

Peyia

Spa Tonic
Hearn’s /Carmin’s cards & gifts
Anesi
Jonathan Woodward Hair Salon

Pissouri

O Vrakas Gifts

Polis

Maria’s hairdresser

Yeroskipou

Easy PC