Each year in Cardiff a bunch of brides walk across the city to raise money for Cancer Research. But the women aren’t actual brides, at least not during the walk.
Fran Rock is very busy. Along with her job as a restaurant manager she is also helping organise next year’s bridal walk with a friend. Her personal life is on hold. She says, “I like to go out and I like to go running as well but that’s pretty much it because work takes up so much of my time at the moment.
Fran Rock wears her wedding dress occasionally, even to clean.
“Because it’s going into Christmas, all of the hobbies are put on the back burner until the New Year.”
After graduating this September the 22-year-old decided to stay in Cardiff to climb up the restaurateur ladder. She currently works at Browns Bar and Brasserie but will soon move to the new Burger and Lobster.
“It’s my fourth year in Cardiff now,” she says. “I just didn’t want to leave. I love it far too much.”
Fran is originally from Northallerton in North Yorkshire and charity has been “engrained” in her for as long as she can remember. She was involved with St John’s Ambulance from an early age whilst at home and stayed with the group for 17 years, and if she could she would get involved in many more charity activities.
“If they had a girl version of Movember I’d probably get involved with that but I’m not willing to get involved with the male version,” she laughs. “Although there are some girls that can rock a mustache I can’t bring myself to.”
But the bridal walk is important to her after having deaths in her family from cancer. She lost uncles and a grandma to the disease.
After her friend started a non-profit business, Fran was keen to help out. She says, “My friend runs a business to do with Cancer Research and wedding dresses. Basically she sources second-hand wedding dresses and just sells them on and gives all the profits to Cancer Research. I like to do stuff like that with her.
She has been getting involved for two years since her friend Laura Netherway started the event because it takes a lot of planning. And although the event is not until May preparation has already begun.
Fran says, “You need to get all the proper permits so you can collect the money, so you’ve got to make sure you get it for everywhere you’re going to be walking.”
The Yorkshire girl still has this year’s dress and says, “I’d get married someday if I had the money but I already have the dress to rock about in whenever I fancy.
“I do the Friends thing and clean the house in my wedding dress,” she laughs. But for now she’s enjoying life as a young once-a-year bride.