THE mum of a seriously ill little boy will be getting covered in colour this weekend to raise money for the hospice which cares for her son.

Kayley Hodge, 29, from Rayleigh, is taking part in Havens Hospices’ Colour Run on Saturday to raise money for the charity.

Kayley’s son, Jack, seven, has cerebral palsy and has been attending Little Havens for respite breaks since he was nine months old.

Kayley said: “When Little Havens was first mentioned tome by one of the consultants at the hospital, I immediately dismissed it. Not only was I upset and angry that I had a child that was eligible for hospice care, but I was scared and didn’t know what to expect. I automatically thought the worst when I heard the word ‘hospice’.

“Then one of the nurses from Little Havens came and visited us and explained about the hospice and the care and support that they offered and although it sounded like a lovely place, I was still unsure.

“Once I had the courage to visit, there was no reason for me to have been so worried for so long.

The staff were so friendly and caring and our whole family were made to feel so welcome. From that day on we became part of a big family.”

Havens Hospices includes Fair Havens for adults and Little Havens for children, which has provided care and support for Kayley’s family, who often stay at the hospice together.

She said: “It is hard to leave Jack there and we usually stay as a family, but when my husband and I got married last year, Jack stayed there for seven days while we went on honeymoon.

“Jack loves the swimming pool there and the multi-sensory room and going on the wheelchair swing in the garden. He loves rough and tumble and feeling the wind on his face.

“Little Havens allows us to have a much-needed rest and spend quality time as a family without doing all of the medical and nursing bits. It’s a really lovely place.”

Colour Run is a 5k run through the wooded grounds at Little Havens with the vibrant event including even more splashes of colour from powder and foam to lights and an explosion of confetti and glitter, along with other surprises as participants make their way around the course.

Kayley said: “I have never done anything like the Colour Run before, but I thought it would be a fun way of raising some money for a charity close to our hearts.”

The Colour Runwill finish with a Colour Fest Celebration, including a DJ, bar and food.

Havens Hospices event fundraiser Erika Patterson said: “After such a successful Colour Chase run last year, we wanted to come up with even more exciting concepts which will help raise money for Havens Hospices as more and more families, like Kayley’s, affected by life-limiting illnesses need access to our services.

So come along and join us for an evening of colourful entertainment while raising money for your local hospices.”

To register to take part, visit www.havenshospices.org