ON Sunday 1st June, St Clare Hospice brought a burst of colour to Harlow Rugby Club with their first-ever Colour Fun Run.

The event drew in an impressive crowd, with over 450 participants gathered for the 5k run. The run kicked off with a spectacular burst of energy as six colour cannons erupted at the starting line.

Roars of excitement echoed from the crowd, as the fun runners made their way through a lively course featuring multiple colour stations, where even the quickest runners could not escape being showered with coloured powder as they passed by.

Volunteers offered encouragement and support throughout the route, while a live DJ kept the energy high, and families enjoyed games and activities alongside the main event.

The day’s atmosphere was cheerful and inclusive, with people from all generations taking part and enjoying the experience together—all in support of St Clare Hospice.

St Clare Events Relationship Fundraiser, Rosie Brewer, said: ‘We are absolutely thrilled by the incredible success of the Harlow Colour Fun Run and the outstanding amount raised for the Hospice. Our amazing community showed up in full force, demonstrating their generosity and support in the most vibrant way – the event raised over £20,000! This will help to cover the cost of 41 hours of care on our Inpatient Unit, which bring compassionate and expert care together in one place.

One of the most unforgettable moments of the day was seeing people of all ages coming together, covered in colour and full of joy. A huge thank you to everyone who took part, Harlow Rugby Club, to our paint sponsor ChasBerger, and of course, our dedicated volunteers—we couldn’t have done it without you!’

After crossing the finishing line, participants were quick to share their positive feedback and appreciation.

Cheryl Hayden from Harlow said: ‘St Clare Hospice looked after both our grandad and our nan, so whenever a charity event comes up, we try to do it. I have previously done the 10k run and want to do the skydive as well. This is our first ever Colour Run, and I’ve dragged the kids in to doing it which is nice. We’ve loved getting completely splattered with paint and it’s great to see so many people participating. It’s been a lovely event.’

Events such as the Fun Run allow St Clare Hospice to continue to support patients and their families during their most difficult time.

Sarah Cook, St Clare Staff Nurse Team Leader, also took part on the day, and said: ‘I wanted to run today as I work for the hospice. I think it’s just nice for us as staff to get involved and help people understand the true extent of our work as a charity, and how much we need their support to help provide services to patients and families.

This is my first hospice run, and I think it turned out to be an amazing event. I love the fact that children are included, and it exposes them to charity work and volunteering from a young age. I’m with my daughter today, and her best friend’s family. It’s been fantastic to see the amount of people that turned up. The enthusiasm and the support for the hospice is amazing.’