Hundreds of families flock to Portsmouth’s first Bubble Rush fun run on Southsea Common

HUNDREDS of families joined a morning of frothy fun as they took part in a run with a difference for a children’s hospice.
Pictured is: The Push fitness group from the Isle of Wight.

Picture: Keith Woodland (110519-78)Pictured is: The Push fitness group from the Isle of Wight.

Picture: Keith Woodland (110519-78)
Pictured is: The Push fitness group from the Isle of Wight. Picture: Keith Woodland (110519-78)

Runners of all ages pounded their way around Southsea Common on Saturday as part of the city’s first Bubble Rush event.

Armed with goggles, participants had to make their way around either a 2.5k or 5k route, wading through several walls of multi-coloured bubbles blown from high-powered foam cannons along the way.

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The foam-fuelled fun was all in aid of Naomi House and Jacksplace, a hospice that tends to children and young adults with life-limiting illnesses from across Hampshire.

Pictured is: Competitors sprayed with foam

Picture: Keith Woodland (110519-33)Pictured is: Competitors sprayed with foam

Picture: Keith Woodland (110519-33)
Pictured is: Competitors sprayed with foam Picture: Keith Woodland (110519-33)

And it’s been hailed a resounding success by organisers, who estimated the spectacle raised thousands of pounds for the charity.

Paul Morgan, director of fundraising and communications for the hospice, said: ‘The support has just been overwhelming. It’s great that people want to do this and it’s fantastic to have had so many people doing it for us.’

An estimated 1,000 people took part in the race, with more than 200 raising money directly for the children’s charity through sponsorship.

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Among the hoards of runners was Charlotte Osborne and her daughter, Kayla, seven, and niece Eva – who was celebrating her 10th birthday.

Bubbly brilliant: Competitors in the Portsmouth Bubble Rush.

Picture: Keith Woodland (110519-3)Bubbly brilliant: Competitors in the Portsmouth Bubble Rush.

Picture: Keith Woodland (110519-3)
Bubbly brilliant: Competitors in the Portsmouth Bubble Rush. Picture: Keith Woodland (110519-3)

Charlotte, 33, of Copnor, said: ‘We’ve been looking forward to this for months, we booked our place up just after Christmas.

‘This week it’s all my daughter has been talking about. She’s been really excited.’

Personal trainer Peter Lines, 35, of Fareham, was with members of his bootcamp fitness group and his son, Dylan, five.

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He said: ‘I think this is brilliant. There should be more events like this. It helps to get families out enjoying the lovely sunshine and staying active.’

Pictured is: Mike Lock wades through the bubbles 

Picture: Keith Woodland (110519-81)Pictured is: Mike Lock wades through the bubbles 

Picture: Keith Woodland (110519-81)
Pictured is: Mike Lock wades through the bubbles Picture: Keith Woodland (110519-81)

He added: ‘I’ve done a few fun runs in the past but never through any bubbles before.’

Kelly Rounds was one of several parents racing around the course with babies, with her six-month-old daughter, Leilana, enjoying the action from the safety of her pushchair,

Kelly, 31, of Clanfield, said: ‘Today has been brilliant. Everyone is excited, everyone is buzzing – we’ve all just had a really good time.’

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Sam Batcock travelled from Tidworth to celebrate her 50th birthday with her friends, Debs Askew and Lucille Snow.

Pictured is: Competitors sprayed with foam

Picture: Keith Woodland (110519-45)Pictured is: Competitors sprayed with foam

Picture: Keith Woodland (110519-45)
Pictured is: Competitors sprayed with foam Picture: Keith Woodland (110519-45)

She said: ‘It’s been awesome fun on the course. We normally do mud runs to celebrate a birthday so we thought we would do something totally different for this year.’

The event is one of a series of activities taking place throughout the year for the hospice.

It costs £9.3m for the charity to provide the support services it does. And with only 10 per cent of the money coming from the government, the hospice has to rely on the generosity of others for the rest.

For more details on how to support Naomi House and Jacksplace, see naomihouse.org.uk

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