Get colourful with the Youth Committee

Published on 24 May 2016

24 May 2016

During a colour run participants are doused from head to toe with a non-toxic coloured powder at each kilometre they run.

Youth Councillor Jackie Hazelhurst, who is helping to organise the run, says the Youth Committee wanted to run the event to support suicide awareness.

Ms Hazelhurst says youth can often feel there is “no way out” when facing depression and the run will be an uplifting and positive event that encourages a sense of community.

“The Youth Council was inspired to organise a colour run of its own after attending the Lower North Island Youth Council Conference and hearing about a colour run Youth Voice Horowhenua had successfully organised.

“We loved their idea so we made it our own and ran with it. The suicide prevention focus came from a subcommittee that had been looking at ways to address the problem we have with suicide in our community respectfully. Once we began organising the Colour Run it became apparent that this event was a good way to create discussion and thought in an uplifting way.

“We want to break down the stigma surrounding depression and suicide. This is an issue we need to talk about and the Colour Run will hopefully make it easier for people to do just that.”

The event is run in conjunction with Ngā Tai o te Awa’s suicide prevention programme, Kia Piki Te Ora.

Registrations open at 12.00 noon at the YMCA Community Centre, 125 Grey Street. Entry is free, but participants are encouraged to give a gold coin koha. Spot prizes will be given out on the day. For more information visit the Whanganui District Council Youth Committee Facebook page.