On Saturday 21 September, Birmingham Hospice will once again be welcoming hundreds of fun runners to take part in Birmingham’s Rainbow Rush.
Taking place at Cofton Park, participants will get doused in a sea of colour, and tackle a 5km course that includes inflatables, dance zones, foam and lots of paint.
The event is open to everyone no matter their age or fitness level, and every runner who crosses (or slides) over the finish line will receive their own Rainbow Rush medal.
People from across Birmingham and the surrounding areas are encouraged to sign up in order to raise vital funds for Birmingham Hospice. The charity provides expert, specialist and compassionate palliative and end of life care for around 800 living with a terminal diagnosis each day.
This year, the hospice must raise £6.5 million to continue providing its care; this is a £1 million increase on last year. Rising costs and a shortfall in government funding means the charity had to recently make the difficult decision to reduce services and close inpatient beds.
Fundraising is now more important than ever. Events such as Rainbow Rush will help ensure the hospice can continue to care for local people living with a terminal diagnosis, while being the perfect opportunity to get together with families, friends and colleagues to make unforgettable memories.
Sara Jones took part in Rainbow Rush last year after her husband, Kevin, was cared for by the hospice. He died before the race itself, which took place two days after 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 it was myself, my daughter, both of my sons and a friend, but there ended up being 21 of us taking part.
“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. It was a joy to do but it was also sad crossing the finish line, knowing the reason that we were there.”
The event first took place in September 2023, araising over £16,000, so the hospice is hoping this year’s event will be an even bigger success.
Rebecca Richards, Senior Events Manager at Birmingham Hospice, said:“We’re thrilled to be bringing Birmingham’s Rainbow Rush this September. Last year’s event was a huge success and it was great to see the rainbow of runners having such a blast.
“We need support from our community now more than ever and we can’t wait to paint Cofton Park with colour, love and laughter in aid of local hospice care.”
To find out more about Birmingham’s Rainbow Rush and sign up, please visit: birminghamhospice.org.uk/rainbow-rush
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