CHILDREN in Sildsen will enjoy an Easter Egg Hunt around the town on Saturday (April 8) in memory of fancy dress runner and local legend Mary Bear Taylor.

Mary made national headlines when she kept people entertained with 100 fancy dress runs around the town during the Covid-19 pandemic, each in a different costume. Her fun-filled daily runs helped to keep  spirits up during lockdowns and raised thousands for Airedale Hospital.

Sadly, Mary, aged 40, died suddenly and unexpectedly in January this year after suffering a heart attack in Dubai, where she had moved to work as a hairdresser.

A crowdfunding appeal raised more than £8,000 in just six hours to cover the cost of bringing her home.

Now a fun event in Mary’s memory will recall the laughter and happiness she inspired in the area and much further afield, thanks to widespread news coverage of her fancy dress runs.

On Saturday volunteers are organising an Easter Egg Hunt for children in Silsden. They can search around town to find small Easter bunnies which they can then take to the Sunnybank Social Club, in Bridge Street, between 2pm and 4pm. There they can exchange their bunny for a chocolate Easter egg and also enjoy a free disco.

For any children who can’t find one of the Easter Bunnies, there will be costumed volunteers in Silsden town centre from about 1pm on Saturday who will hand out vouchers to be exchanged for a chocolate egg at the social club disco.

One of the event organisers is Mary’s mother, Kate Throupe, who said: “Mary was always looking out for others and she’d want to be remembered in a fun and happy way, so we thought an Easter Egg Hunt would be a good way to do that.”

As well as using their own funds, the organisers have had support from individuals, organisations and businesses, including Steeton-based Acorn Stairlifts. It has donated over 100 Easter eggs after seeing an appeal for help on Facebook group Silsden Buzz.