The University of Birmingham’s iconic clock tower ‘Old Joe’ is turning pink to mark October as Breast Cancer Awareness month.   

Close up of Old Joe's clock face which is lit up in a warm pink colour

Birmingham’s landmark tower changed colour at the beginning of the month and will be ‘pinking up’ again from Friday 20 to Tuesday 31 October.

Old Joe is not the only thing to be turning pink this October and its neighbour, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (QEHB), is marking Breast Cancer Awareness month by raising awareness and funds to fight breast cancer.

QEHB Charity has turned its Fundraising Hub in the atrium of the hospital a rosy hue, with plenty of pink merchandise for sale, including brand new, bright pink, limited edition QEHB Charity hoodies.

Rachel Learmonth, Senior Fundraiser at QEHB Charity, said: “QEHB Charity is so grateful to UoB for turning Old Joe pink to mark Breast Cancer Awareness month. Old Joe is such an iconic building and it is wonderful to see the clock face turn pink for such a worthy cause.”

There are many ways to get involved this Breast Cancer Awareness month. The Charity is putting on a wide range of events including a Pink Skydive on 28 October which will see pink-clad skydivers raising money to support patients with breast cancer.

For those who prefer to keep their feet firmly on the ground, the Charity is encouraging people to group together with their colleagues or friends and ‘do it pink’ for a day by wearing as many pink items as possible.

There are also tickets available to QEHB Charity’s breast cancer raffle with the chance to win some amazing prizes including a one night’s stay for two people at Hotel La Tour.

“These events are an opportunity for people to have some fun whilst raising money for a really important cause," Ms Learmonth added. “One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lives and QEHB Charity is raising money to further improve the quality of care that patients with breast cancer receive at the hospital.”