Staff and students from HMS Collingwood joined forces to put local children through their paces for charity recently.
The Rainbow Centre in Fareham held their first ever Rainbow Rush with assistance from Collingwood’s Physical Training Instructors (PTIs) Suze Badger and John Stephen.
After leading them in a military-style warm-up, each PTI took a team of about a dozen children aged between five and twelve years old around an obstacle course.
However, at each stage students from HMS Collingwood’s Victory Squadron and volunteers from the National Citizenship Scheme attempted to cover them in different coloured powder paint!
Able Rate (AB) Callum Charlton was part of the group attempting to slow the children with rugby tackle pads so colleagues could spray them with pink paint.
He said, “It’s a good experience and it gets us out into the community, making a difference to the kids. It makes a nice change and I think we’re having more fun than the kids!”
After the children had braved AB Charlton and his friends, they then tackled more obstacles including scramble nets, towers of crash mats and a bouncy castle, all the while being pelted with paint.
One of the challenges involved the children carrying cups of water to and fro whilst getting paint thrown over them and one spirited group of kids decided to soak the throwers instead!
Although the weather tried to spoil the fun with torrential rain and gusty winds, the children enjoyed the day, wearing their paint-covered t-shirts with pride.
To participate in the event, children were asked to fundraise ten pounds and proceeds went to the Rainbow Centre which supports children and adults with cerebral palsy, MS and Parkinson’s Disease.
All the children were awarded a t-shirt and a medal to celebrate their efforts and the event raised over £2000.
