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It’s beginning to look like … a record breaking Santa Fun Run year
16/12/2020
Just three days after the event the Katharine House Hospice is likely to receive more from this year’s Santa Fun Run than ever before
This year’s Katharine House Hospice Santa Fun Run looks set to be a record breaker. At this early stage with funds still being sent in – and despite the very different conditions this year – 2020’s Virtual Santa Fun Run fundraising total is set to smash all previous records.
Normally the Santa Fun Run raises between £25,000 and £30,000 for Katharine House. This year the total raised already stands at £27,500 – just three days after the event and with many people still yet to declare their total.
Key to the success of the event has been the involvement of local schools. Nineteen signed up to participate. So far nine schools have submitted details of how much they have raised which comes to over £16,000.
Cherida Plumb, Community & Events Fundraising Manager at Katharine House said: “They’ve done an absolutely amazing job this year. It’s far beyond what we could have expected.”
Over 6,000 children participated in the school’s Santa Fun Run during the two week’s prior to the public event. This is the first year the Hospice has invited schools to take part.
The schools joining in were: Bishop Carpenter CoE Aided Primary School, Bishop Loveday C of E Primary School, Bloxham C E Primary School, Chipping Norton School, Christopher Rawlins C E (Aided) Primary School, Deddington C E Primary School, Dr Radcliffe’s Church Of England Primary School, Fritwell C of E School, Hanwell Fields Community School, Harriers Banbury Academy, Langford Village Community Primary School, Southam College, St John’s R C Primary School, Syresham St. James C of E Primary School, The Grange Community Primary School, The Warriner School, Wheatley Park School, Wroxton C of E Primary School and Wychwood Primary School.
Following the schools’ event, last Sunday 175 members of the public headed out in atrocious weather conditions to join in with the Virtual Santa Fun Run.
Mrs Plumb was full of admiration for everyone who braved the conditions to do their part. She told us about one particular village: “Syresham have done us proud with the school and a group of 16+ friends running and walking for us. The friends were taking part throughout the day to commemorate two people connected with the village how have been cared for by our team this year.”
With the funds raised now starting to arrive, it appears the challenge of organising a very different form of the Santa’s Fun Run has paid off.
Mrs Plumb said: “We are already up to about £27,500. We normally bring in between £25,000 and £30,000 at our normal Santa Fun Run so we’re hoping to smash that this year, which is an amazing feat. We didn’t expect to get anywhere near that.
“It’s a real boost at the end of the year for the team”.
Listen to our interview with Cherida Plumb here:
Published: by Banbury FM Newsteam