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Stamford Santa Fun Run gives £25,000 to Sue Ryder Hospice, MindSpace and Rotary Club causes




A bumper sum of £25,000 has been donated to charity thanks to people taking part in the Stamford Santa Fun Run.

The event attracted 1,500 participants dressed as Santa to Burghley Park back in December.

YouTuber Colin Furze, known for his madcap inventions, started the fun run by firing flamethrowers way above the heads of people as they set off on a choice of three distances, the longest of which passed Burghley House.

Colin Furze entertaining the crowds at the event in December
Colin Furze entertaining the crowds at the event in December

With the cost of the volunteer-organised event mainly covered by its sponsors, entry fees helped to generate £15,000 for Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice, £5,000 for MindSpace Stamford, and £5,000 that the Rotary Club of Stamford Burghley will share between local good causes.

In addition, many participants appealed for sponsorship and donated this to their chosen charities, while pubs and cafes invited people to ‘buy Santa a pint’.

A presentation of money to the three main beneficiaries was made at Alltech off Ryhall Road in Stamford on Friday (December 24).

Sponsors, volunteers and beneficiaries of the Stamford Santa Fun Run gathered at Alltech
Sponsors, volunteers and beneficiaries of the Stamford Santa Fun Run gathered at Alltech

Receiving their £15,000 donation, Leonie Hatcher, community fundraising Manager at Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice, said: "We are incredibly grateful to the Stamford community for coming together to organise the Stamford Santa Fun Run, raising vital funds for Sue Ryder as well as other amazing organisations. We are blown away by the generous support we’ve received.

“The Stamford Santa Fun Run is a wonderful example of community spirit. Organised by a dedicated local running group, this event has made a significant impact in the funds it has raised. This generous donation will go towards supporting people who need it the most to ensure no one faces death or grief alone.

“The continued dedication and fundraising efforts from our local supporters make a world of difference to the patients and families we serve. We look forward to joining forces again this year and making an even greater impact together."

Santa Fun Run volunteers Delia Salter and Andy present £15,000 to Leonie Hatcher from Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice
Santa Fun Run volunteers Delia Salter and Andy present £15,000 to Leonie Hatcher from Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice

Pip Tiffin from MindSpace extended a “big thank you” to everyone who came along to the event, which she described as brilliant.

“Last year the money we received from the Stamford Santa Fun Run funded 1,200 sessions for people, ranging from yoga and mindfulness through to a running group and games night.

“At these sessions 10,000 places were filled by about 750 people who came through our doors - and what we do for them can be life-changing.”

Santa Fun Run volunteers Zoe Wade and Ian Powell present £5,000 to Pip Tiffin from MindSpace Stamford
Santa Fun Run volunteers Zoe Wade and Ian Powell present £5,000 to Pip Tiffin from MindSpace Stamford

Steve Allan from the Rotary Club of Stamford Burghley spoke about how it had established the fun run before handing it over to Stamford Striders Running Club four years ago, which now uses volunteers from its 200-plus members to organise the event each Christmas.

Nick Wells, volunteer manager for Stamford Santa Fun Run, thanked participants and the event sponsors, which this year included Sonic Security, One Touch Football, Zeeco, Buckles Law, The Crown at Casterton, Stamford North and Alltech.

He also praised fellow volunteers for reorganising the entire event for one week later than initially planned, when Storm Darragh closed Burghley Park on December 8.

Santa Fun Run volunteers Liz Harding and Jim Grant present £5,000 to Steve Allan from the Rotary Club of Stamford Burghley
Santa Fun Run volunteers Liz Harding and Jim Grant present £5,000 to Steve Allan from the Rotary Club of Stamford Burghley

Addressing the charity representatives, he added: “We know you do good things on a tight budget and we can only hope what we do helps your teams to achieve their goals to support people in our community.”

Stamford Santa Fun Run will return later this year, when inventor Colin Furze says he will have something new up his sleeve to entertain those taking part.

The crowds got into the spirit of the day
The crowds got into the spirit of the day

Entries will open in autumn.



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