Hundreds complete Colour Dash at Dunorlan Park

More than 300 children were splattered with colourful dye in an unconventional fun run, which proved exercise doesn’t have to be dull.

Pupils from 13 primary schools in and around Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge completed the wacky race at Dunorlan Park in baking heat on Friday [April 20].

Tonbridge and West Kent School Sports Partnership organised Colour Dash as part of the government’s Active 30:30 campaign, to tackle child obesity.

In total 332 youngsters, aged five to 11, ran age appropriate distance from 700m to 1,700m, as parents and volunteers pelted them with cornflower dye.

Organiser Hannah Jones said: ‘Schools are tasked to encourage all children to reach their daily active 30 minutes target and to have fun doing so.

‘The Colour Dash event provides an opportunity for more children to take part in physical activity that isn’t your traditional sports, and for these children to experience doing a form of exercise in a fun, safe and different environment.’

Schools in or near Tunbridge Wells that took part were: St John’s Church of England Primary School, Claremont Primary School, St Matthew’s High Brooms Church Of England Controlled Primary School, Pembury Primary School, The Wells Free School and St Barnabas Church of England Primary School.

The Tonbridge schools represented were: Woodlands Primary School and Penshurst Church of England Primary School.

Alex Weston, Director of Tonbridge and West Kent School Sports Partnership, added: ‘We, as a not for profit organisation are, in this line of work for the intrinsic benefits, such as the smiles, positive experiences and the enjoyment factor that sport and physical activity can bring to the schools and children we work with.

‘We want to inspire, motivate and support every child in our remit to get up and get involved.’

Peter Every, of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, said: ‘We welcome the opportunity to be involved in hosting the schools event in Dunorlan Park for the second year and providing the chance for young people to be engaged in physical exercise in a fun and colourful way.’