Event Sponsorship: A Win-Win for All!
Colour runs are more than just a burst of colourful fun - they’re a celebration of community, connection, and creativity. Behind every vibrant cloud of colour is a dedicated team of volunteers, event stewards, supporters, and sponsors who make the magic happen. One of the most effective ways to elevate your event (and your fundraising total) is by partnering with local businesses.
Reduce Event Costs and Increase Resources
Local businesses want to support their communities, and many already have Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) budgets set aside for exactly this purpose. Building relationships with them can significantly cut event costs whilst boosting your available resources.
🏃 Warm-up Sponsor: Reach out to a nearby gym or personal trainer to lead the warm-up before the run. This gives them great visibility while ticking a key safety box for your event.
🛒 Refreshment Donations: Many supermarkets have dedicated community budgets. Ask the store manager or community champion if they can donate bottled water, fruit or snacks for you to sell on the day.
💜 Corporate Volunteer Teams: Volunteers are essential for a successful event, but framing the day as a fun team-building activity makes it far more appealing.
🌈 Cost of Colour Powder: One of the simplest ways to guarantee maximum profit is to have the cost of your colour powder and accessories covered.
Creative Sponsor Involvement
Sponsors often bring their own creative ideas and interactive elements to events. A more engaging experience means happier participants, and a stronger likelihood they'll return next year.
🍦 Having an ice cream van at your event is a great way to keep your supporters cool and hydrated with ice lollies - great for kids and grown-ups alike.
🏆 Small businesses love seeing their products showcased. Request gift vouchers, hampers or services as raffle prizes - raffles are an easy, high-profit fundraising boost.
Broader Reach Through Shared Promotion
Every sponsor becomes a promotional partner. Their audience becomes your audience and your event visibility grows exponentially.
📣 Social media shout-outs - businesses love celebrating their community involvement.
📧 Email newsletters – reaching new audiences.
🏬 In-store posters and signage - great for attracting local families.
📸 A selfie frame is a great way to encourage people to capture the colourful moments - don't forget to create a catchy #hashtag for participants to share their snaps!
With just a few strategic conversations, your colour run can attract new supporters, strengthen community ties, and shine brighter than ever. If you need any further help with organising your event, reach out to one of our helpful team.
How To Make Your Own Colour Run Packs
Organising a colour fun run is a fantastic choice for a fundraising event and we’ve seen them rise in popularity over recent years. They offer a vibrant twist on traditional fun runs and bring people of all ages and abilities together for an unforgettable experience, all while raising money for a good cause.
There’s a lot to consider when organising a colour fun run however. You need to secure a suitable, outdoor venue, consider health and safety risks, find volunteers to help on the day and most importantly, sign up participants to take part in the run.
When runners sign up, you may charge them a sign-up fee to raise extra funds or to help cover costs of the event. This fee could also include access to a colour run pack that participants will receive on the day. These packs are a great way to engage participants and ensure they’re prepared with everything they need for the colour run. If you’re organising a colour run for schools, then a colour run pack can be a fun and practical addition to the event to ensure students are excited and prepared to take part.
We’ll let you in on all the essential things to include in your colour fun run packs along with some extra tips to make your event memorable for everyone involved.
What To Include In A Colour Run Pack
Colour Powder
The most important thing to include in a colour run pack is of course colour powder! You’ll want to provide each participant with a 100g bag of colour powder, making sure a variety of different colours are handed out. The bag is small enough for participants to carry around with them as they run and easily throw at their running partners throughout the course.
Or perhaps instead of throwing them along the route, encourage participants to save their colour powder to be used for a colour fight at the end of the run. A colour fight is a great way to keep the event running a bit longer, allowing participants to let off steam and celebrate the end of the run with a fun activity. Additionally, you could kick things off with a countdown before the fight and at the count of one, have everyone throw their powder up into the air to create a vibrant colour cloud. This will make for some great post-event pictures to share on social media!
Race Number
A race number is an essential part of any fun run pack. It helps you identify who each participant is and keep track of them throughout the race, particularly if the event is timed. They also make for great keepsakes after the race, especially when they’re covered in a rainbow of colours!
White T-Shirt
No colour run would be complete without a white t-shirt. They act as the perfect canvas for showcasing all of the bright, colourful powder that runners get showered with during the event. You may want to add a little something extra to your t-shirts and pre-print your charity logo and event name onto it. This helps to promote your cause but also makes the t-shirts more memorable to participants, allowing them to look back and remember the cause they were supporting. Don’t forget to ask runners for their t-shirt size when they sign up!
Accessories
To add some extra fun and character to your event, provide each participant with a colour accessory to wear as they complete the fun run. You may choose to give everyone the same accessory but in different colours, such as bright sunglasses, or mix and match accessories. One person may receive a colourful floral lei while someone else is running in a rainbow skirt! Either way, these accessories are designed to elevate the experience and bring a unique element to everyone’s race outfit.
Packaging Ideas For Your Colour Run Packs
Once you’ve decided what to include in your colour run packs, you may be left thinking “what’s the best way to package everything?” You’re going to want packaging that keeps everything safe and organised, but is also easy to hand over to participants and carry around.
One popular and practical option for packaging is a tote bag. They’re easy to carry, lightweight and can be reused time and time again, making them a more sustainable option. You could even customise the tote bags with your charity logo and event name for further promotion.
Another great alternative is drawstring bags. These bags are more of a sportier choice and tie in better with the theme of the day. Plus they’re easier to wear and offer a hands free option, meaning runners can wear them around the course and carry their race day essentials along with them.
If you’re looking for something simpler but still effective, custom cardboard boxes are a great option. They can be designed in your charity or event’s branding to provide a cohesive look to the overall fun run. Plus they’re easy to transport, stack and distribute, making operations a bit easier on the day.
Additional Items For After The Race
The keepsake items participants receive don’t have to end just with their colour run packs! Once runners cross the finish line, hand them a memorable item to commemorate their achievement. A colour run medal is the perfect way to congratulate runners, serving as a proud reminder of their accomplishment. Colour run wristbands also serve as a great addition to medals and can be worn a lot more easily after the event.
You may consider setting up a photobooth or backdrop for runners where they can gather with friends and family to snap a picture of them covered in a hue of different coloured powders. Photos can either be printed on site or sent to participants digitally as a lasting reminder of their joyful experience.
Here at Ministry of Colours, we have all of the products and accessories required to build your own colour run packs. From colourful accessories to commemorative items to the all important vibrant colour powder, we offer everything you need to organise a truly unforgettable colour run.
Our colour powder is non-toxic, safe for contact with skin and easy to clean. We offer our powder in a variety of sizes, from individual 100g bags all the way to 10kg bags for larger events. We even offer colour fountains which come in an extinguisher style canister, designed to spray participants in a continuous stream of colour – the perfect way to start off a colour run! Make sure to check out our full range of products and if you need any assistance finding the right items for your event, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
7 Creative Colour Run Ideas For Schools
Colour runs are quickly becoming a go-to fundraising event for schools and PTAs and it’s easy to see why. They’re fun, energetic and create unforgettable memories. We’re loving seeing more and more schools organise colour runs each year and providing them with our authentic colour powder to make their events memorable.
If your school organises a colour run every year, you might be looking for ways to shake things up and keep them fresh and exciting. Adding a creative twist not only makes the event more fun and engaging for students, but also helps attract more participants and sponsors.
To help get your brain ticking and inspire your next event, we’ve put together seven creative ideas that are guaranteed to add more fun and make a difference to your next school colour run.
1. Lay Out Obstacles
Laying out various obstacles throughout your colour run course is a great way to add an extra element of fun to your event. Consider incorporating tunnels, balance beams or hula hoop courses to your track to challenge students and keep them engaged. We’ve got plenty more colour run obstacle ideas over on our blog if you need some inspiration!
2. Place Interactive Challenges Throughout The Course
If you want to add engaging activities to your colour run but want something a bit safer and easier than obstacles, then interactive challenges are the ideal option. Set up stations around the course that students have to complete a mini challenge at before they can continue on their way. This could include a bean bag toss, a hula hoop challenge or completing jumping jacks. Once a student has successfully completed their challenge, spray them with a blast of colour in celebration and send them on their way.
3. Play A Game Of Tag
Put a colourful twist on the classic concept of tag rugby by incorporating a similar idea to your fun run. Each participant starts the colour run wearing three coloured tags around their waist. As they run around the course, they must dodge and avoid the volunteers trying to remove their tags. To increase the fun, have the “taggers” armed with packets of colour powder and whenever they successfully tag someone, they celebrate by giving them a splash of colour.
For even more excitement, consider adding obstacles to the course that students must climb over or crawl under all while avoiding the “taggers”. This game is great for keeping spirits high and providing a few good laughs as students try to out manoeuvre the “taggers” and make it to the end of the course.
4. Get Parents and Teachers Involved
Colour runs don’t have to be just for students and are a perfect opportunity to get people of all age groups involved. Family members and teachers may decide they don’t want to stand on the sidelines and want to get in on the colourful action themselves. This could involve them running the colour run alongside the students or hosting a separate run afterwards, just for family and teachers.
Consider selling small 100g bags of throwing powder especially for this event to raise some extra funds on the day. We’re sure students will be lining up to purchase them so they can throw colour powder at their parents and teachers as they run by!
5. Set Different Themes For Each Lap
Rather than having students run a normal lap, switch things up by setting different themes for each lap they complete. For example, one lap must be completed by running or walking backwards while the next lap must be completed by side stepping the entire way. This presents a great opportunity to get creative and think outside the box. It’s also sure to bring plenty of laughs on the day!
6. Host An Award Ceremony
After the colour run is finished, gather everyone together for an award ceremony. For everyone who participated in the colour fun run, award them with a certificate, colour run medal and a wristband to congratulate them. You could even give out extra awards to individuals such as ‘Most Colourful’, ‘Fastest Time’ and ‘Best Dressed’.
7. Finish With A Final Colour Celebration
As the day comes to an end, gather students, teachers, volunteers and family members together for one final celebration. Make sure everyone’s armed with a packet or handful of colour powder and on the count of three, let the colour war begin! A colour fight is a great way to prolong the fun and get runners and spectators involved in an unforgettable moment.
We suggest setting up a PA system if you have one and playing some music to accompany the fight and keep the energy going! A PA system is a good addition to the event as a whole and can be used in a pre-run warm up to get everyone in the mood as well as throughout the colour run to keep spirits high.
This celebration presents a great photo opportunity and is the best way to use up any leftover colour powder from the day. You could even take this as a chance to raise some extra funds and sell additional throwing powder in 100g bags to participants.
For any teachers and PTA members looking to host a colour run for their next fundraiser, don’t hesitate to check out our school fundraising zone where you’ll find a variety of helpful guides and resources. From tips on how to organise a school colour run to promotional posters and sponsorship forms, we’ve got everything you need to ensure your event is a success.
If you need any assistance finding the right products for your event or have any questions about our colour powder or accessories, feel free to reach out to a member of our team.
Top Tips To Set and Meet Your Fundraising Goals
Winter has ended and we can see the start of brighter days, warmer temperatures and better yet, fundraising and charity events! We’re loving seeing charities, schools and organisations getting their events in the calendar and we’re ready to start helping everyone get organised with their fundraising accessories and colour powder.
Following the recent launch of our Fundraising Zone, we’re also excited to be able to further support fundraising events with our handy guides, tips and tricks. But before jumping into all of the creative planning, one important thing must be established first – your fundraising goals.
Whether this is your first fundraiser or your 100th fundraiser, ensuring you’ve set clear, actionable fundraising goals is essential to running a successful event. Let’s take a deeper look at why fundraising goals are important, how to set them and our tips for smashing them.
What Are Fundraising Goals?
Fundraising goals can differ from one organisation to another, but usually there is one clear end-target that participants work towards. Usually this end goal is raising a certain amount of money, however fundraising goals for schools will be different to fundraising goals for a charity. For example, PTAs may organise a fundraiser for a school to raise money for new equipment or technology while a charity may raise funds for research or to help those who need it. Charities also run fundraisers to raise awareness for their cause and increase their base with new volunteers and donors.
Some organisations or individuals may choose to also set goals and milestones along the way to reach their end target. If you’re hosting a large event such as a colour fun run, this might include signing up a certain number of participants or securing sponsorships from local businesses to support the costs. Some charities or organisations may choose to set goals for growing their online presence, tracking the number of social media followers they have or people signed up to their mailing list.
Why Is It Important To Set Fundraising Goals?
Organising and running a fundraiser is a big task, but ensuring it’s successful is an even bigger one. Having a big end goal and smaller ones along the way gives everyone involved something to work towards and is a great way to maintain motivation. Hitting milestones as you get closer to the final goal creates a sense of achievement and pride amongst everyone involved. As people see donations tick closer to the overall number, it encourages more participation as everyone is determined to hit the final goal!
Setting goals also helps define a bigger strategy, allowing you to outline the steps needed to hit your goals and stay organised while doing so. Part of this strategy should include defining a budget and developing marketing materials to encourage participation.
Setting Your Fundraising Goals
When setting your fundraising goals, it’s important to be realistic and set clear and measurable targets. Take a look at previous fundraisers your school, club or charity has held in the past to see what they’ve raised and how many people got involved to give you an understanding of what’s achievable.
Your goal should also support or contribute to your organisation or an individual involved in some way. This may involve raising money to purchase new equipment for a school or sports club, funding a surgery or gathering donations for a cause close to you. Giving your goal that personal element is going to help you gain support from friends, families or stakeholders and make your fundraising efforts that bit more meaningful.
Meeting Your Fundraising Goals
You’ve set your goals and planning is underway for your event which means it’s time to get stuck into the main task – fundraising! Our top tips are sure to help you smash your goals and get everyone digging deep to help your chosen cause.
Create A Donation Page
The easiest and most effective for people to donate to your fundraiser is to set up an online donation page. This can be done on platforms like Justgiving, allowing users to simply click a link and instantly donate. Here you can share more about your fundraiser, your personal story and users can leave messages of encouragement. Additionally you can track the progress of your fundraising goal with ease, seeing how close you are to smashing the 100% mark. To reach as many people as possible, share the link to your donation page amongst friends and family and across social media.
Host A Fundraising Event
Organising an event can be a fantastic way to encourage donations while getting more people involved in your cause. It could be a charity auction, a bake sale or a quiz night, or perhaps you might opt to organise something a bit more challenging, like a colour run or even a skydive! Either way, having a physical event gives people something to look forward to and attracts a wider audience. To maximise your fundraising efforts, you could charge people an entry or participation fee or host a raffle on the day, offering prizes that have been donated by local businesses.
Offer Incentives
There are two ways that you can offer incentives when fundraising. The first is to offer incentives to the individual doing the fundraising so that when they reach certain milestones, they receive a gift. For example, if they raise £50 for your cause they might receive a branded t-shirt and if they raise £100, they could get a small gift voucher. Not only does the individual feel rewarded for their efforts but they’re also encouraged to keep fundraising and aim for the highest goal.
The second way is to offer incentives to the donors directly. You see this often with crowdfunding projects when artists raise funds to finance a film or a project. This involves setting up a tiered system where donors who contribute a certain amount receive a gift. For example, a £20 donation could earn them a mention on your website or a thank you in your project, a £50 donation could mean a personalised thank you letter or video message while a £100 donation might provide exclusive access to updates and events.
Reach Your Fundraising Goals With Ministry of Colours
If you’re looking for the right event to host for your fundraiser, look no further than a colour fun run. We’re the UK’s number one provider of authentic and high quality colour powder and have all of the products you need to ensure that your event is a success. From individual packets of colour powder to large 10kg bags to our impressive colour powder fountains, we’ve got everything covered to make your event bright and colourful. We also offer a variety of colour accessories, such as colour run medals and wristbands if you’re looking for that perfect memento to reward participants with.
Our Fundraising Zone is also packed full of helpful resources and guides to help you put your event together, including downloadable promotional posters, sponsorship forms and checklists. If you’re a PTA member or teacher looking to host a school colour run, we have a separate schools and PTA zone dedicated to resources just for educational institutions. Additionally we offer fundraising resources for charity organisations and sports clubs looking to make a colourful impact with their events.
If you can’t find the information you need or require a helping hand finding the right products for your event, please don’t hesitate to reach out to a member of our team. We’re always on hand to help you put the fun into fundraising and ensure your event is as bright and successful as possible!
46,000 Reasons To Host A Colour Run
A Colour Run Case Study With Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice
Please watch the video above: In this video case study, we dive into the exciting and heartwarming world of colour runs, highlighting their incredible benefits for both participants and the community. We are joined by Vicky Lough, the events fundraiser at Forget Me No Children’s Hospice, who explores how these vibrant, fun events help raise vital funds for the hospice and support families in need.
Background: Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice
Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice, located in Huddersfield, UK, provides specialised care to children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions. They offer invaluable support not only for the children but also for their families, providing respite care, end-of-life care, and bereavement support. The charity relies heavily on donations, fundraising, and events to fund its essential services. The colour run was introduced as a fun and engaging event that could draw in people of all ages and backgrounds to raise vital funds for this cause.
The Concept Of The Colour Run
The Forget Me Not Colour Run is a 3-5K event held at Greenhead Park that emphasises inclusivity and enjoyment. Participants walk, jog, or run the course while being showered with vibrant coloured powders at various checkpoints sponsored by businesses. In 2024 sponsors included Charlesworth Family Group, Shepley Spring, FMG, Advanced Supply Chain, Purple Pebble People, Mercedes and Aflex Hose. Colour powder represents hope, joy, and celebration of life, themes that resonate strongly with the ethos of Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice. The event is designed to be an experience that is about more than just physical activity — it’s about raising awareness, coming together as a community, and showing solidarity with those who are facing difficult challenges.
Collaboration Between Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice and Ministry Of Colours
The collaboration between Ministry Of Colours and Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice began with a shared goal: to raise funds while spreading positivity. Organising a large-scale event like this requires significant planning, coordination, and promotion. The team at Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice utilised their strong network of supporters, volunteers, and families to plan and promote the event while the team at Ministry Of Colours supplied them with all the colour powder and event accessories they would need. Through social media campaigns, local media coverage, and email newsletters, the event gained significant visibility. Many of the families who benefited from the hospice’s services became active participants, sharing their stories and encouraging others to join in.
Event Execution
On the day of the 2024 colour run, the atmosphere was electric. Over 1,000 participants of all ages gathered to take part in the event, many wearing white clothing that would soon be transformed into a kaleidoscope of colour as they ran, walked, or jogged along the route. Aside from the 3-5K run, the event featured entertainment, food stalls, and opportunities for families to participate in additional activities like face painting, live music, and family-friendly games. These activities ensured that even those who chose not to run could still enjoy the day and contribute to the fun. The event catered to people of all fitness levels, from seasoned runners to families with young children. Participants could choose their pace, and there was no pressure to complete the course quickly. The primary goal was to raise money while fostering a sense of community and connection.
Fundraising Impact
In 2024 the Forget Me Not Colour Run was a major success in terms of fundraising. They raised over £46,000! Participants paid a registration fee to take part, and additional funds were raised through sponsorships, donations, and fundraising pages set up by individuals and teams. The funds raised went directly to Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice, ensuring that the charity could continue to provide care and support to families who rely on their services. Through this event, the hospice sees an increase in engagement from the local community, both in terms of participation and donations. The awareness raised through the event also results in new corporate sponsorships and partnerships that provide ongoing financial support. Moreover, the colour run helps to strengthen the emotional connection between the community and the hospice. Many participants express a deep sense of pride in supporting a cause that directly impacts the lives of children and families in their area.
Conclusion
Having catered to over 1,000 participants and raising £46,000 in 2024, Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice certainly know a thing or two about hosting a successful colour run event! Vicky Lough explains exactly how they did it in this fantastic interview, providing a wonderful insight for any organisation looking to follow suit. From promoting fitness and wellness to fostering a sense of unity and joy, colour runs offer something special for everyone.
Please don’t hesitate to contact Ministry Of Colours to learn more about how you can get involved and make a positive impact while having a blast! And if you have ever worked with us to host a colour powder event and would like us to produce a video case study, like the one feature here, to help promote your event/organisation then please get in touch!
How To Fundraise With Colour Powder
Here at Ministry of Colours we want you to make the most of your fundraising event so here are some tips that we have gathered over the years that might help.
Firstly, you’ll need a method to collect the donations, our sister company Care Fundraising Supplies has a selection of charity collection items in a variety of colours and sizes. All can be provided with bespoke labels to your specific event.
Think about offering plain white t-shirts to wear during the event. These are ideal as your participants can protect their own clothes and also have a colourful reminder of their day. Remember to tell everyone that the colours wash out of most materials, but to avoid wearing their new shiny, white trainers!
Although our colour powder is very safe, eye protection is recommended and can also be an opportunity to raise extra funds. We have a range of great value sunglasses and sun visors that are very popular to sell on the day too.
Medals go down well too - these are bespoke medals that need ordering in advance, but we have our standard colour run medals in stock that are a great addition.
Offer a selection of fun and colourful accessories to continue the theme; headbands, wristbands and flower garlands are all extra fundraising ideas that are easily available from us that boost your fundraising efforts. We find that the dressing up aspect is almost as important as the colour powder.
Most importantly, have a great time.
Party safely!
My First Holi Festival
POV: A Yorkshireman At Holi
As a relatively uncultured Yorkshireman, I had no idea what to expect when I was stationed to work at the UK’s largest Holi Festival at Beaver Works in Leeds. Now most festivals I have attended in the past have a ‘no mess’ policy, but not this one! At Holi you are encouraged to make as much mess as possible with safe and natural powders that come in 7 vibrant colours. Celebrating my first Holi festival was an exciting and colorful experience filled with joy and tradition. One that will be remembered forever. I soon found out that Holi was more than just a party, it’s a time for friends and family to forget differences and come together in a spirit of unity and love.
Holi, also known as the festival of colors, is a Hindu festival originally celebrated in India but now celebrated all over the world. It marks the arrival of spring and signifies the victory of good over evil in Hindu mythology. During Holi, people come together to play with vibrant colored powders, known as gulal, creating a beautiful kaleidoscope of hues. Each colour at Holi represents something different:
- Red symbolises love and passion and is the most beloved color during Holi.
- Yellow is the sacred colour of India.
- Blue is a symbol of courage, love, calm, and serenity.
- Green holds the essence of energy, new beginnings, harvest, and hope in Hindu culture.
- Pink is a favorite colour for girls and women, and it is seen as the most attractive and energetic color.
- In Hinduism, the colour orange symbolises the sacral chakra, the energy center related to sexuality and self-awareness.
- Purple is always connected to royalty, wealth, and power in India.
Thankfully, I was prewarned to join in the festivities by wearing budget sunglasses to protect my eyes, and old garments that I didn’t mind getting stained with colours. Lucky, I also managed to narrowly avoid wearing the Sequin Rainbow Skirt I was told all first-time Ministry of Colours employees must wear… I did settle with a Leis, however. I instantly saw that Holi is a time to let go of inhibitions and within the first few minutes of opening, I was covered from head to toe in colours. Mostly purple, which must have been a mistake as my attributes don’t tend to signify royalty, wealth and power. I then got to tuck into some traditional sweets like gujiyas and thandai that are also enjoyed during this festive occasion. These delicious treats will certainly be making their way onto my shopping list in the near future.
UK Holi Events In 2024
It’s coming up to our favourite time of the year!
Birmingham Holi Events
Leeds Holi Events
London Holi Events
Date: 10th of March 2024
Sheffield Holi Events
Reading Holi Events
Holi 2024 by By Bellissima Bollywood Events
Manchester Holi Events
Newcastle Holi Events
Ipswich Holi Events
HOLI FESTIVAL OF COLOUR by Ipswich and Suffolk Indian Association
Chester Holi Events
Holi Festival in Chester by Memory Petals
Ministry of Colours in the News
In the two months since the launch of the new Ministry of Colours website and colour powder products we've been had some great interest from the regional and national press.
We've had a lovely article written for us by the Huddersfield Examiner. You can read the full article online on their website
How Much Colour Powder Do I Need?
