Why Colour Up for Kids means so much to us
There’s something incredibly special about watching a crowd of people transform into a sea of colour. It’s fun, it’s messy, and it’s full of laughter- but at the James Hopkins Trust, we know that every splash of paint represents something far more powerful.
It represents support.
It represents community.
It represents families like Summer’s.
More than just a fun run
Taking place at Plock Court in Gloucester, Colour Up for Kids is designed for everyone. There’s no pressure and no competition, it’s simply just a 5km course filled with powdered paint, foam tunnels, music, inflatable obstacles and big smiles.
Families can walk together. Friends can dance through colour clouds. Children giggle as they turn every shade imaginable.
Behind all the fun, at the root of it all, is a serious purpose.
Why your entry matters
At James Hopkins Trust, we provide free, nursing-led respite care for babies and young children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions across Gloucestershire. Many of our families provide complex care to their child around the clock. Sleep is broken. Hospital visits are frequent. Life can feel overwhelming.
Respite care gives families something priceless. It gives them time to breathe.
The funds raised through Colour Up for Kids help us provide:
-
Specialist nursing support
-
Overnight respite stays
-
Stay and Play sessions
-
Safe, adapted spaces for children to play and thrive
And that support changes lives, just ask Summer’s family.
Summer’s story
Summer was born healthy and met all her early milestones. But at around four months old, her parents noticed something wasn’t right. Instead of progressing, she began losing movement. By five months, she felt like a rag doll in their arms.
Following urgent assessments and genetic testing, Summer was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 1- a rare, life-limiting condition. Thanks to swift action at Bristol Children’s Hospital, she began treatment with Risdiplam and later received a one-time gene therapy infusion. The therapy cannot reverse damage already done, but it can prevent further deterioration.
Before treatment, Summer could not sit, had no movement in her legs and very poor head control. Today, alongside weekly physiotherapy, she can roll independently, move her legs again, sit for longer periods and has significantly improved head strength. These milestones once felt impossible.
Gene therapy is not a cure. Summer still requires lifelong support. Her mum gave up work to become her full-time carer, managing her therapies, medication, equipment and daily care.
Now two years old, Summer is bright, chatty and cognitively unaffected. She knows exactly what she wants to do but her muscles don’t always cooperate. That awareness can be frustrating.
At James Hopkins Trust, she can simply be a child.
Her mum shares:
“James Hopkins allows Summer the freedom to explore play and have fun safely. Knowing there are nurses caring for her gives me peace of mind and a rare chance to rest. Summer absolutely loves going- she gets to be herself, play, smile, and just be a kid.”
That freedom. That peace of mind. That smile.
That’s what Colour Up for Kids helps to fund.
Standing together for local families
We’re proud to host Colour Up for Kids alongside Grace Kelly Childhood Cancer Trust, supporting children and families across Gloucestershire facing childhood cancer.
When you sign up, you’re not just taking part in a fun 5km. You’re helping families like Summer’s continue to access specialist care, safe play spaces and vital respite.
You’re helping exhausted parents rest.
You’re helping children thrive.
You’re helping us be there when families need us most.
Join us
So pull on your trainers. Wear white. Bring your friends and family.
Come and dance through colour, laughter and community spirit, knowing that every step you take helps brighten the lives of local children living with extraordinary challenges.
Because every splash of colour truly does change a life.
Tickets can be purchased here.
*Sponsorship opportunities available, please contact fundraising@jameshopkinstrust.org.uk for more info