The countdown to Dorothy House’s 2018 Bubble Rush has started. Last year, over 1,600 people took part in Dorothy House Hospice Care’s and raised an impressive £55,000. This year, the 5k fun run takes place on Saturday, 14th July at a new venue – the Royal Bath and West Showground in Shepton Mallet.

Entrants will run, walk, skip or dance twice around a 2.5k route filled with huge clouds of rainbow-coloured foam, so this year’s runners or walkers will enjoy double the bubbles as they pass through four bubble stations twice during their two laps.

Before the start, the Bubble Village will be packed with entertainment with plenty of fun for participants and spectators alike. There is a warm up routine planned plus live entertainment, a selfie booth, children’s activities, food and drink stalls and a colourful accessories stall to jazz up your outfit.

The Bubble Rush is a family event with no age restrictions and the child-friendly route is suitable for pushchairs, prams and wheelchairs. It is not a race; the aim is for everyone to pass the finish line covered in coloured bubbles and smiling! To join in the fun visit: www.dottybubblerush.org.uk

There will be two waves of runners, the Pink Wave starts off at 11 a.m., and the Blue Wave at 12 noon. Registration opens for the Pink Wave at 10 a.m. at the Bath and West Showground or 11 a.m. for the Blue Wave.

There is no minimum sponsorship amount, but participants are encouraged to raise as much as they can for Dorothy House Hospice Care to help fund vital patient care. The Hospice provides free palliative and end of life care from early diagnosis onwards to patients, their families and carers across Bath & North East Somerset (B&NES), Wiltshire and Somerset.

Emily Knight, Events Fundraiser at Dorothy House Hospice Care, said: “We are excited about this family fun run especially as we have a great new venue this year. For every £1 we receive from the NHS, we have to raise a further £4 so this July we’re hoping to beat the sum we raised at last year’s Bubble Rush. Please join in the fun and sign up for this brilliant family-friendly event.”

Becky Bird, from Frome, is taking part in the event, and said: “I am doing the Bubble Rush in support of Amy Hawley, a day patient at Dorothy House Hospice Care. I’ll be doing the fun run along with Amy’s ten-year-old daughter Lucie and several colleagues from Christchurch School Frome where I met Amy eight years ago.

“Since her diagnosis, both Amy and Lucie have been supported every step of the way by Dorothy House and their amazing staff and volunteers. I’m looking forward to the Bubble Rush and having a fun, family day with Amy, Lucie and friends to fundraise and enjoy.”

Maggie Brombley, from Faulkland near Radstock, who’s taking part in the event for the first time, said: “I’m entering the Bubble Rush this year in memory of my husband Mick. Dorothy House helped me care for Mick at home, before he died of cancer in 2015.

“I’ll be joined by my granddaughter, Alyssa Ellison, her friend Holly Graham and my friend Ruth Bawden, and we’re all looking forward to the event. In our own small way, we’ll be giving something back to the fabulous Dorothy House. Thank you and long may you continue your amazing work.”

For more information and to register, go to: www.dottybubblerush.org.uk or to find out more about Dorothy House, please visit: www.dorothyhouse.org.uk