Stamford Santa Fun Run donates thousands of pounds to Sue Ryder Hospice and MindSpace
Santa fun run organisers have handed £19,500 to charities following a sell-out event.
Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice in Peterborough was given £12,675 at a presentation by Stamford Santa Fun Run volunteers and sponsors on Friday (January 26).
Mental wellbeing charity MindSpace Stamford received £3,900, and the Rotary Club of Stamford Burghley was given £2,925 to donate to its local good causes.
On top of the money donated on Friday, several charities - including Sue Ryder and MindSpace - received additional sponsorship directly from runners who dressed up as Santa and completed one of three routes through Burghley Park on December 10.
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Nilesh Patel, senior community fundraiser for Sue Ryder, said: “We are very grateful for the support of all those who took part in, sponsored, or volunteered at the Stamford Santa Fun Run.
“It’s a huge event to organise and it makes a difference to the care we provide.
“The continued support of people who donate and fundraise for us means that we can provide more expert and compassionate palliative care and bereavement support to more people.
“We look forward to working with everyone again this year.”
Pip Tiffin from MindSpace said Stamford Santa Fun Run is their biggest fundraiser and essential to ‘keep their doors open’, adding that it also fulfils ‘Ways to Wellbeing’ the charity promotes - helping people make connections in the community, and to be active.
“Last year’s donation from the run supported 1,054 MindSpace sessions,” said Pip.
“This year our focus is to improve access to our Wellbeing Garden off Uffington Road, so that it can be opened up to people who struggle to walk.”
Steve Allan from the Rotary Club of Stamford Burghley spoke about how its members had set up the fun run 14 years ago, when just 150 people took part, and watched it grow in popularity.
After covid, the club handed it over to Stamford Striders Running Club, which recruits volunteers to plan and put on the event from its 200-plus members.
At Friday’s presentation, Stamford Strider Nick Wells, who volunteers as event manager, thanked everyone involved, including participants, sponsors and his fellow volunteers.
“Thank you for supporting us in 2023,” he said. “You are all part of our team and we would love to see you all at Stamford Santa Fun Run again later this year.”
The Santa Fun Run will be on Sunday, December 8, when YouTube personality and wacky inventor Colin Furze will be back with a creative way to start the event.
Entries will open this autumn.
