Garstang to welcome hundreds for St John’s Colour Dash

Main sponsor Vincents Solicitors enters team for fun run this Sunday

Garstang is to welcome hundreds of people taking part in the second annual Garstang Colour Dash this weekend.

More than 400 participants have registered for the 5km fun run, which kicks off from Cherestanc Square outside Booths at 12noon on Sunday May 12.

Following huge demand from people signing up on the day for last year’s inaugural event, organisers from St John’s Hospice have allocated a further 200 spaces for anyone who wants to turn up on Sunday, with registration open from 11am until the race starts at noon.

Zosia Muhler from St John’s said: “We are absolutely delighted to have more than 400 runners already registered, and the event is shaping up to be as much of a success as last year. From our experience of the first Garstang event, we want to make sure anyone who makes a last-minute decision to take part can do. We’ll have a team on the ground helping to get people registered on the day from 11am, why not come on down and join in the fun!"

The event is being sponsored by five local businesses, with Vincents Solicitors as headline sponsor along with four colour station sponsors, Towers + Gornall, Display Wizard, Nationwide Building Society and the Garstang Country House Hotel.

Chris Mathews from Vincents Solicitors will fire the starting pistol and wave everyone off on the 5km route through the town, out towards the River Wyre and Greenhalgh Castle, where they’ll be pelted with clouds of colour, before heading back to the finish line at the square.

Lisa Lodge, head of Vincents Garstang office, said the firm was entering a team and all the families would be coming along in support. She said: “Everyone is really looking forward to the Colour Dash on Sunday. Last year it really was so much fun, everyone had such a fantastic time, and we were so thrilled that the Hospice chose to come to Garstang again this year. We just want everyone in the town to come out and support

this fantastic event and help to raise thousands of pounds for this really incredible charity.”

There will be a number of family-friendly activities going on throughout the town during the day, including a fun warm up session, live music and stalls providing refreshments, alongside the town’s usual array of shops, bars and restaurants.

Last year’s event saw more than 500 people run through a riot of colour and raise more than £10,000 for the hospice. This year, the charity has set a target of £15,00.

St John’s first brought the Colour Dash to Garstang in 2018, and also hosts a similar event in Kendal. Together the events are some of the most popular in the charity’s fundraising calendar and have raised more than £240,000 for patient care over the last five years.

Additional sponsorship is welcome and will further support the inpatient unit and the home visiting community teams of St John’s Hospice to provide palliative care for people from Grasmere to Garstang.

For more information click the link: www.sjhospice.org.uk/colourdash

Pictured: The Vincents Solicitors Garstang team prepares for the Garstang Colour Dash this Sunday May 12, with Zosia Muhler from St John’s Hospice