JOIN the girls. That’s this year’s tagline for Race for Life.

And in 2011, there’s the chance for even more women to sign up – because the Welwyn Hatfield event, which is backed by the Welwyn Hatfield Times, is doubling in size.

Our borough’s leg of Cancer Research UK’s annual fundraiser – where women can walk, jog or run a 5km route – takes place at Stanborough Park in WGC on Sunday, June 5.

And this year there’s not one but two chances for you to take part: the traditional morning race at 11am, and a new afternoon event at 2.30pm.

Organisers are hoping 4,500 women will sign up this year – which would eclipse the 2,713 who took part last summer, raising more than �165,000 in the process.

Gemma Turpin, area events manager for Cancer Research UK, said: “The event is growing each year and we feel there’s more women out there who have missed the opportunity before.

“So by having an afternoon event we’re giving them an option to take part if they’ve not been able to do the morning before, because of kids’ swimming lessons or whatever.”

Nationally, Cancer Research UK – which is working on the event in conjunction with Tesco for the 10th year – hopes one million women will take part, raising �80m in the process to help fund the charity’s vital work.

* To take part, visit the Race for Life website now (link above right), where you can choose your event and sign up.

If you can’t make Stanborough Park on June 5, there’s other races nearby taking part throughout the summer. Check out the dates for Stevenage, St Albans or Luton.