A GROUP of people in Whitehaven decided to brave a firewalk this week - and I was one of them.

I'd never had the opportunity before to get involved with charity fundraising so when I heard that a firewalk was going to be held by Whitehaven Town Council I jumped at the chance.

After some consideration, I decided that I would raise money for Macmillan, a group that offers vital support and care to people who are suffering from cancer. 

There were around 30 people taking part that day and many of them were raising money for other important causes like Bee Unique and Cancer Research UK. 

Whitehaven News: Reporter Brandon Mawson completes the firewalk Reporter Brandon Mawson completes the firewalk (Image: UK Firewalk)

The event was held in St Nicholas' Gardens at 5.30pm just as the sun was setting over Whitehaven which, with the glowing embers from the fire, created an impressive scene. 

Those who were taking part were registered inside the church and given a training session beforehand.

Mainly this involved learning about the psychology behind a firewalk and why, in most cases, the burning hot wood won't burn you.

What a firewalk involves is lighting a strip of logs on fire, about the length of two cars. Over the next hour, the wood burns down to hot ashes which creates a soft surface to walk on.

The participants take turns walking over the ashes, which takes only a matter of seconds. 

Whitehaven News: Crowds begin to gather as the fire burns Crowds begin to gather as the fire burns (Image: UK Firewalk)

Because of the person's mindset - coupled with the speed that they are going and some other aspects - the fire does not burn them, despite being around 600 degrees celsius. 

During the training, some volunteers were given an example of how they could overcome seemingly impossible challenges with their mindset. 

They were asked to imagine placing an arrow against their throat whilst balancing the other end on a steady surface. They would then walk forward but, rather than hurting them, the arrow would snap.

A similar principle could be applied when doing the firewalk, we were told. 

Whitehaven News: The fire is lit The fire is lit (Image: UK Firewalk)

After everyone had their turn we were presented with certificates and many people had family and friends watching on who congratulated them for their efforts. 

The firewalk was a great event for Whitehaven and it was lovely to see the town centre bustling on a cold Tuesday evening. Luckily, the rain even held off for a while.