The 2018 Colourthon
On Saturday 7th July, as the temperature reached into the 80's and most of the country were absorbed in watching England win the world cup quarter-finals, Team Amy May Trust gathered in Chalkwell Park, Southend-on-Sea to take part in The Colourthon, an annual half marathon walk which takes entrants through coastal towns as the sun sets.
With 58 members registered to take part, it was a real pleasure to welcome back people whom we already knew, and to say hello to many who were unknown to us until that evening. Our team consisted of people aged from early teens to those decades older, people who had travelled from 5 different counties to be with us. The mass of our group was an impressive array of purple, abuzz with anticipation for the walk ahead. The Colourthon attracts many entrants, all of whom can walk for their own good cause or charity, but the splash of purple was the biggest colour block in the park and we were rewarded for this entry by being given a further £250 by the organisers for having the largest group, boosting our ever growing fundraising total. Prior to the walk, our group gathered together to set off a balloon release, a rise of purple Amy May Trust balloons peppering the air, symbolising the unity of our group while highlighting the seriousness of nut allergies.
And so the walk begins, 13 miles of a lovely scenic route along the seafront where the breeze off the estuary was very welcome. Sue and Roger, Amy's parents, had brought Amy along to the seafront where it was lovely to say hello; many in the group meeting Amy for the first time, bringing home the reasons why we were all there that day.
As we walked down the hill into the old town at Leigh-on-Sea, we encountered a mass of celebration as the England 2-0 win continued into the night - some who were stumbling much more than us who had, at that point, walked 10 miles, but all were wonderfully good-humoured and supportive! Some entertained us en route with a slightly amended rendition
“‘You are walking home, you’re walking home, you’re walking! ”
…and we were walking home, or at least back to the park where we began!
People joined us for the walk for various reasons, because Amy has touched their lives in some way, whether through work, family or friendship, or through the community that has been built through The Amy May Trust. Some of our group live with a nut allergy themselves, or know a loved one who does.
We are so grateful to everyone who was part of The Colourthon. The Amy May Trust team fundraised collectively, so far raising over an incredible £12,600! So this thanks includes every person who so generously sponsored us and is part of the future help that Amy will receive. We must also pass on our gratitude and thanks to the Southend Round Table who put so much effort into making this event happen each year. Most especially, we are grateful to everyone who walked with us on such a sweltering evening, the spirit of unity, generosity and the will to do good and to be part of our community was unforgettable. Every single person gave something of themselves that night and they will forever have our gratitude for making Team Amy May Trust happen.