DRAFT

Colour Runs at Buick, Moorfields and The Diamond Primary Schools

With the end of the school year approaching it was a busy week for Ballymena Runners with colour runs in Buick, Moorfields and the Diamond Primary Schools in one week.

Ballymena Runners member Stephen Brown who organised all the Colour Run events at the schools was delighted the club was able to help:

It’s brilliant that Ballymena Runners are so active supporting the local community. Its great to see so many children out enjoying themselves at the Colour Runs. The smiles on the faces of the children and everyone else involved makes Colour Runs such rewarding fun.

My thanks to the volunteers from Ballymena Runners who helped out making the Colour Runs such a fun packed activity for the children. Thanks also to the school principals and staff for their enthusiasm and making these events such a success. My thanks also to Galgorm Resort and Spa who have provided generous sponsorship and support for our programme of Colour Runs.

On Tuesday afternoon we were delighted to organise a colour run for the children of Buick Memorial Primary School in Cullybackey.

Watched by some of the parents around 150 children took part along with their teachers and school staff. There was no shortage of people volunteering to throw paint and no shortage of children and adults wanting to get paint thrown at them. The adults had as much fun as the children.

School Principal Rikki Peters said

Our thanks to Ballymena Runners for coming along and organising the Colour Run. Everyone had been looking forward to it. It was a wonderful way for all the children to have lots of fun and exercise as the school year draws to an end. My thanks to everyone at the school for their help with this fun filled activity that everyone enjoyed.

Naomi Taylor, Meeting and Events Manager at Galgorm Resort and Spa said:

Galgorm were delighted to support Ballymena Runners with their Colour Runs in the local community. As a company we take our corporate social responsibility very seriously are committed to finding ways to contribute to our local community.

The Colour Runs provide great fun for the children taking part and for everyone involved. Importantly they have been a catalyst for a healthy lifestyle and fundraising activities to support the facilities and resources available for local children.

On Thursday afternoon Moorfields Primary School had their Colour Run. On a sunny afternoon, after warm up runs and exercises, around 200 children took part along with the school principal and staff. The Colour Run marked the end of a week long programme that got the children to exercise for an hour everyday and get sponsorship for their efforts.

Ballymena Runners want to thank all the children at the school for making them feel welcomed at their assembly and our thanks to Mrs Kerr and the school council for all their hard work.

School Principal, and Ballymena Runners member, Mark Beattie said

Everyone at the school as looking forward to our Colour Run. It was a great way to end a week that had a fun focus on being healthy and saw all the children doing an hour of exercise each day. My thanks go to the school council and all the children and staff at the school for making the whole initiative such a success. As a member of Ballymena Runners I’m delighted that the club plays such an active role in our local schools and community.

The Diamond Primary School had organised a summer fete on Thursday evening with the Colour Run rounding off a busy evening. As well as the Colour Run the school had organised a BBQ, snacks, pony rides and games to help raise school funds. The evening was very well attended and around 150 children took part in the colour run. Having been covered in paint they eagerly queued to get their medal. A great evening for everyone involved.

School Principal Laura Boyd said

Our school Colour Run was a really brilliant end to a great evening. The Colour Run had created a buzz in the school and the children were all looking forward to it. Thanks to everyone who helped out at our summer fete and to Ballymena Runners who helped make our evening such a success and filled the evening with fun for the children.

Ballymena Runners Chair, Ali Donaghy, spoke of the clubs work in the community saying:

With 350 members Ballymena Runners is deeply embedded in the local community. These Colour Runs are part of a number of Colour Runs Ballymena Runners has successfully delivered this year as part of its work in the community. I want to thank all our club members who have generously given up their time to organise and help at these events.

The Club is especially grateful to Galgorm Resort and Spa who have provided generous sponsorship for our programme of Colour Runs. Their sponsorship has enabled over 500 local children to take part in this fun filled activity.