This year’s fundraising ColourRun for sick kids' accommodation and family support charity Calum’s Cabin takes place in Stornoway Castle Grounds on Saturday. 

Organiser Shona Shields is urging folk to sign up quickly to avoid disappointment in case the highly-popular event sells out. There are 400 places available in total.

The ColourRun is all about family fun and raising money for charity by taking part in a two-mile run. The route, from the UHI campus, involves running the gauntlet of paint stations and many participants will end up covered head to toe and often photographed.

The event is “aimed at all fitness levels and all ages”.

Such is the cross-community appeal that one lady from the local care home will be coming along in her wheelchair with her daughter to throw paint.

“That’s something she wants to do and that’s something that we are more than happy to help her with,” said Shona. “So we have got from buggies to wheelchairs.”

She stressed it was “completely inclusive” and was about creating memories to last a lifetime.

The ColourRun day is split into two parts. The ‘pocket money fun day’ is in the morning and takes place in Stramash tent in Willowglen, which has been left up for a week by the Stramash music festival organisers to help the ColourRun.

It takes place from 11am to 1pm. There will be candy floss machines, face painting, old fashioned games including fishing for ducks and beat the goalie, target practice, lucky dips, tombolas, teas and coffees.

“Last year was great,” said Shona. The youngsters got “absolutely soaking” in the morning which meant that the paint from the ColourRun later on stuck to them completely.

“All in all, it was a really messy day but we got excellent feedback. They seemed to really enjoy it.”

It seems that “the messier the better”.

From 1pm onwards, the UHI college building opens to prepare for the start of the ColourRun itself, and Shona said they were grateful to UHI and Murdo Smith for support.

“He’s been brilliant for us the last four years. He’s given us full access to UHI so we set up in there. People come up from 1pm to 2pm and they collect their wristbands.”

The run begins at 3pm from the college car park but there will be a mass warm-up at 2.30pm, led by Gordon Tosh, which is not to be missed.

There will also be a staggered start, using coloured wristbands, to manage numbers safely.

There will be six paint stations this year on the route.

People can sign up online, using a QR code. This can be found on the ColourRun Castle Grounds Facebook page or on any of the banners around town. Entry prices vary, with a family package at £30, and organisers are advising people to wear old clothes. Protective glasses should be worn and they will have some glasses available.

“I can’t wait,” said Shona. “It’s the highlight of my year. I absolutely love it.”

Last year around 375 took part in the event and it raised around £4,500 for the charity.

Although the ColourRun is arguably the highest profile event run by the group, they also run other fundraising events under their banner of ColourRun CastleGrounds.

They aim to hold an event every quarter – the Princess Party earlier this year was a big success, with 80 places selling out in seven minutes – and aim to raise £10,000 every year.

They have raised £50,000 so far since 2023.

Shona and her brother Robert organise the events and are supported by a committee of 10.

Shona’s connection with Calum’s Cabin came about through a nursing friend and colleague, Shona Macphail, whose family was helped by the charity when they needed it.

To give something back afterwards, the Shonas held a fundraiser, Iona’s Raffle, which raised £23,000 in early 2023. They gave £20,000 to Calum’s Cabin and £3,000 to the Schiehallion ward at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow.

They held their first ColourRun later that same year and have been doing events ever since.

As a charity, Calum’s Cabin has been growing every year and helping more and more people. It provides treatment flats near Glasgow hospitals, holiday retreats and additional support.

Three children from Lewis have already used the charity this year, Shona pointed out.

The team have also been on a mission to raise awareness about the charity, making numerous school visits to talk to young people about Calum’s Cabin and the fun fundraising events.

Shona and her team of mascots were this week visiting Sgoil An Rubha, Laxdale Primary and Tong School. They have previously visited Sgoil nan Loch and Stornoway Primary.

The mascots are Seoras the Zebra, Torquil the Unicorn, Annabel the Axelotil, Murdag the Hen, Domnhall Iain the Fox and Coinneach the Crocodile.