Colour Fun Run a big success

One runner getting sprayed pink yesterday at the 'What do you live for - Colour Fun Run' in Napier. Photo/ Paul Taylor

Hundreds of people covered from head to toe in a splash of colours gathered at the Napier Soundshell yesterday for the 'What do you live for- Colour Fun Run'.

Organised by the Napier and Hastings Youth Councils and Zeal Hawke's Bay, the event raised $2000 for "Live for Tomorrow", a youth mental health project under Zeal.

The Colour Fun Run was held on World Suicide Prevention Day and a team of six from "Live for Tomorrow" participated in the event and spoke to the crowd about who they were and what they did before the fun kicked off.

Zeal Hawke's Bay manager Mark Wilson said the day was about celebrating life and instead of looking at the "doom and gloom" they wanted to create a positive message.

"We got people to write the reasons they woke up every morning on an interactive chalk wall and I think it's important to look at what makes people happy and what they live for."

The mental health project, which started in 2013, offers online interventions and counselling as well as school programmes. Mr Wilson said they were in the process of looking into delivering these workshops at Hawke's Bay schools.

The event was a sell-out and Mr Wilson said most of the 850 people appeared to have turned up.

"There was a great atmosphere and we had everyone from families to the elderly and everyone in between."

Eventgoers ran or walked the 5km trail, starting and finishing at the Soundshell. Everyone was dressed in white at the starting line but crossed the finishing line plastered in colour.

There were colour stations placed throughout the course for everyone to indulge in.

Both youth councils wanted the event to take place in the Bay and all involved "got amongst the fun".

Mr Wilson wanted to thank Tremains and Bayswater for jumping on board and donating $500 each in support of the event.