Colchester based health charity Lepra, will be lighting up the city in their distinctive colours to mark World Leprosy Day 2023.
On Sunday 29 January, the 99-year-old charity will be joined by iconic buildings throughout Colchester, such as Colchester Castle, the Town Hall, the famous water tower affectionately named ‘Jumbo’, The Mercury Theatre and Essex University, who will all be beautifully lit in teal, to help raise awareness of neglected diseases such as leprosy which continues to affect world’s most vulnerable people.
Lepra will also be hosting a free photographic exhibition at Colchester Castle by documentary photographer Tom Bradley, called ‘New Faces of Leprosy’. The moving images share the journey of people affected by leprosy, through diagnosis to treatment, facing discrimination and prejudice, and how they overcame the challenges they faced.
Lepra has been at the forefront of treatment, care, support and research of leprosy for nearly 100 years. Over its long history, Lepra has gained important insights into this highly complex disease, and helped develop the first effective cure for leprosy in the 1950s.
A greater awareness of leprosy will help Lepra support community healthcare and research into the future, improving the effectiveness of case detection, treatment, and holistic care. Contributing to the global effort to reach the WHO’s target to end transmission of leprosy by 2030.
Entry to Colchester Castle will be FREE for this event (when booked online) and will include two guided tours at 4pm and 5pm.
