Birmingham’s most colourful charity event is coming to Cofton Park

Participants will be swept along in a sea of colour and covered in powder paint at each stage of the 5-kilometre course, which also will also include inflatables, dance zones and lots of foam.

The event is open to everyone no matter their age or fitness level, and every runner who crosses the finish line will receive their own Rainbow Rush medal.

People are being encouraged to register for Rainbow Rush to raise money and help fund the hospice’s vital work to provide high quality palliative care to around 800 people living with a terminal diagnosis each day.

The hospice needs help more than ever after recently launching a Crisis Appeal to highlight how it has been impacted by the steep rise in cost of living.

Increases in the price of energy, food and medicines and the shortfall in government funding means it is facing an estimated £2.4 million budget deficit and has had to make the difficult decision to reduce some services and close a number of inpatient beds.

Rainbow Rush was particularly poignant for Sara Jones, who signed up to last year’s event after her husband Kevin was cared for by the hospice.

Kevin, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, died just before the race and two days before what would have been his 44th birthday.

Sara said: “We decided to sign up to Rainbow Rush in July because we know how vital fundraising is for the hospice. First of all, it was myself, my daughter, both of my sons and a friend, and it ended up with 21 of us taking part. Kev passed before the Rainbow Rush, so at his celebration of life we asked that any voluntary contributions went directly to the event.

“The atmosphere was amazing – everyone came together, and we started off laughing and dancing as we warmed up. We took it at our own pace – you could walk, you could run, some people skipped – it was entirely up to you. For me personally, it was a joy to do but it was also sad crossing the finish line, knowing the reason that we were there.”

There is also a vibrant array of items and props people can wear while taking part in Rainbow Rush, which can be purchased in advance from our online shop.

Runners can arrive from 9.30am for the event, which raised £16,000 last year, to soak up the atmosphere and take part in photo opportunities. Runners commences from 11am after a Zumba-style warm-up.

To take part in the city’s most eye-catching event and raise money for Birmingham Hospice please visit birminghamhospice.org.uk/rainbow-rush.

By Peter McKinney - Contributor