Full marks for rainbow runners

ABOUT 100 children took part in the sixth annual Stoke Row colour run.

The event, which was organised by the Friends of Stoke Row School, raised more than £1,000 in aid of the village primary.

The activity involved children running a 600m course round the recreation ground off Newlands Lane and into the woods to cool down before reaching the final paint station.

Groups began the colour run in a staggered start before they ran to water stations where they were squirted at using water pistols and a hose-pipe before being showered with cornflour-based powder in an array of colours by volunteers.

A “musical” warm-up was led by parent Ben Cosh, from Sonning Common, to prepare children for the event.

Sunday’s event had five paint stations staffed by parents and teachers as the children tried to complete as many laps as possible.

A board had been set up to record the number of laps children had completed at the end of the event. Lead organiser and secretary of the Friends of Stoke Row School, Robyn Polisano, from Peppard, has been running the event for four years. She is helped by a team of about 20 volunteers.

The 44-year-old said: “It makes me well up when I see them running off at the beginning. We see this as a way to bring the community together.

“It’s a brilliant, fun event for the children that hopefully shows them the joy of running.

“We find children run further than they ever would in PE or a cross-country event, just because they are having so much fun along the way.

“We do it not just for our school community but for any children locally that want to take part and any money we raise is a bonus.

“They could run the course as many times as they wanted to in an hour.”

The event also included a hook-a duck-game, raffle, refreshments and a bar.

Funds raised will support children’s learning and the curriculum, enrichment and the provision of outdoor play resources.