What a mixture as colour returns

MORE than 100 children took part in this year’s Stoke Row colour run in aid of the village school.

The event, which had not been held for the last two years due to the coronavirus pandemic, raised £931.

Participants, who were mainly children, had to complete as many laps as possible of a 650m course outside the village’s sports pavilion, off Newlands Lane, in an hour.

Parents manned four paint stations and threw dyed corn powder at the children as they passed.

All the children taking part received a hot dog and a medal afterwards. The event was organised by the Friends of Stoke Row School, including secretary Robyn Polisano, Becky Jenkins, Jenny Lowe, Rachel Mannall, Laura Shaw, Eleanor Connelly and Rachael O’Sullivan with the support parents and volunteers.

Mrs Polisano, whose children Illy, eight, and Rosa, two, took part, said: “We had 110 people registered and some were adults, who wanted to take part with their children.

“We had four paint stands across the course. Before we started we had a safety briefing about what you couldn’t do, such as not throwing paint in people’s eyes. The paint does wash off easily but we remind people to bring old clothes rather than test that.

“We had a warm-up and we were lucky it was a super-hot day. We find that children run further than a normal cross country event because of the paint and wanting to do better than your mates.

“Some did more than 10 laps and some older kids who had done it before came back to try to beat their old lap record.

“It was great because we haven’t had many events due to the pandemic so it was nice for new parents to meet other
families.”