Havens Hospices’ Run Santa Run event goes virtual with Festive 5K

November 11, 2020

A local hospice charity is asking its local community to pull on a Santa hat as well as their trainers this December for a Christmas themed fundraising challenge.

In lieu of Havens Hospices’ Run Santa Run event, which normally sees hundreds of supporters dressed up as Santa running in Wat Tyler Country Park, this year the charity is asking people to run or walk 5K anytime, anywhere between 1st-13th December in festive fancy dress.

Registration for event is free but Havens Hospices just ask participants to raise as much as they can in sponsorship so they can continue to provide their free palliative nursing and supportive care to adults and young people living with complex or incurable conditions across Essex.

By signing up you will also receive a festive audio playlist to listen to whilst completing your 5K, an individual or team online fundraising page as well as an invitation to join the charity’s Festive 5K Facebook Group where you can enter the event’s competition for the best dressed and fastest runner and there is even a prize for best fancy dressed pet.

Erika Patterson, Events Fundraiser at Havens Hospices says: “As we’re unable to run together this festive season at our popular Run Santa Run event, we are hoping our incredible supporters can come together virtually for our new Festive 5K.

“This event is perfect for anyone looking for a bit of festive fun by dressing up with family and friends and looking to give back something to a local charity this Christmas. This event is suitable for anyone and you don’t have to complete your 5K in one day – this can be over a few days if you prefer.”

Lucy Burgess, Events Fundraiser at Havens Hospices added, “Our Festive 5K event is a great campaign to bring our fantastic community together this Christmas – without them our essential hospice care would not exist. Christmas is a special time for all families, but when someone is at the end of their life Havens Hospices is there for them providing palliative care and support in the hospice or in their home, ‘Making every day count’.”

Havens Hospices ‘Festive 5K’ is a part of the charity’s ’12 days of Christmas’ campaign where the hospice charity is calling on the community to help raise £24,000 to help fund the costs of care at Little Havens and Fair Havens on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

For more information about the charity’s ‘Festive 5K’ event and to sign up visit festive5K.havenshospices.org.uk.