February 10, 2022 10.54 am This story is over 25 months old

Colour Dash is back at Lincolnshire Showground in aid of St Barnabas Hospice

Back and planning to be bigger than ever

Colour Dash is back at the Lincolnshire Showground! | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
By Local Democracy Reporter

To mark its 40th anniversary this year, end of life charity St Barnabas Hospice will be bringing back a popular Colour Dash event in a bid to raise £150,000 – while adding a splash of the rainbow in the process.

The Colour Dash will be returning for a sixth year at Lincolnshire Showground on Saturday, May 14, as participants complete a 5km untimed fun run while being covered in paint powder at each kilometre.

The paint powder is environmentally friendly and boasts all the different colours of the rainbow, designed to add a fun element to a charity run that relieves pressure on your performance; meaning you can run, walk, dance or skip to the line.

Hundreds take part every year. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

It is particularly poignant in the times of the coronavirus pandemic, as frontline staff like those at St Barnabas were regularly celebrated and thanked with rainbow colours, which will be consistent throughout the Colour Dash.

On the day, there will be a hive of activity with food, drink, merchandise stalls, music and a fun warm-up from the stage, as well as the chance to see yourself on the big screen.

Raising funds and having fun! | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

The ultimate aim for the charity is to raise £150,000 at the event, which would help patient care across Lincolnshire, delivering vital care to vulnerable people and their families.

Early bird tickets are available until the end of February, costing £5 for under-16s and £15 for adults, and they can be purchased from the St Barnabas website.

| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Jayne Denham has taken part in the Colour Dash in memory of her beloved husband. She said: “When the end was near for Nige, the nurses knew and there was absolutely no sense of panic. They made sure he was as pain free and comfortable as possible.

“As his breaths became gradually shallower, I began to sing to him, and then he just left. I remember dropping to my knees at that point and the nurses held me and rocked me.

“Nigel had a beautiful death and I feel so grateful that I was able to be with him and witness his transition. Everyone at the hospice gave so much to my family.

“Later that year, I signed up to take part in the Colour Dash with our children, my sister-in-law and some friends. We all had t-shirts made with Nigel’s face on and the words ‘be more Nige’ across the front.

“What an experience when we set off and got covered in coloured paint powder at every kilometre! It was a great opportunity to just get messy, have a laugh and just be colourful. There was a real buzz in the air and such a sense of togetherness.

“Going through the finish, my heart was truly pounding, the tears from my eyes falling freely. The splashes of colour painted rainbows of joy and pride, not only for a love lost, but also for every single missed soul on that most incredible of shared days.”

| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Also, St Barnabas will be running its first ever donation station at the Colour Dash. Each supporter is being asked to bring a bag of good quality items to donate to the charity shops, and they can be dropped off throughout the day with the retail team.

If you would like to be a stall holder at the Colour Dash, you can express your interest here.