L-R: Ruth Mayall from St. Johns Social Club, KEMP Hospice Event Fundraiser Shelley Stanley and Shaun Marshall from St. Johns Social Club
Local businesses and sporting clubs are accepting last month’s challenge from KEMP Hospice to sign up for their biggest Santa Fun Run event this December.
In September the charity, which provides care and support to people across the Wyre Forest who are dealing with life-limiting illness or bereavement, announced that they wanted to break the record for the number of people signing up for their annual Santa Fun Run which takes place on Sunday 1st December at Brintons Park.
The event has been a firm fixture of the local festive calendar for over a decade and will see people run, race, jog or walk a 10k or 5k route, or take part in a 25 mile cycle route around the Wyre Forest district. This year, as part of their golden anniversary year KEMP are hoping for 600 people to take part which would signify a participant for every month since KEMP was first formed in 1969.
KEMP Hospice Event Fundraiser Shelley Stanley said that she was overwhelmed by the response so far: “We’ve seen teams from all over Worcestershire getting in touch to take part. Sporting groups such as Wyre Forest Ladies Hockey Club, 24/7 Fitness, Amazing Feet and Kidderminster Harriers Academy are putting in teams, Worcester based companies like Evolve Home Energy Solutions and robotics experts RG Luma Automation are joining in too. We’ve even got officers from West Mercia Police signed up! We would love to see teams from all over the county come to Kidderminster on 1st December to take part and if we could get 600 people running or cycling that would mean a participant for every month of KEMP’s fifty years. We are as committed now to caring and supporting people in our community as we were five decades ago and we can only do that with the fundraising support of people in our community, that’s why it’s so important for people sign up for the KEMP Santa Golden Fun Run and Cycle Ride”
The KEMP Hospice Santa Gold Fun Run comprises four events. These include: a 10 kilometre timed race, a family 5k run, a free children’s 1k Santa Dash and, once again a 25 mile Santa Cycle Ride.
This year KEMP have teamed up with St. Johns Social Club of Kidderminster who are sponsoring the event and Ruth Mayall from the club explained why: “We as a club have long supported KEMP Hospice through fundraising and championing the vital work they do for the community. Many of our members have seen first-hand the services they provide so we are proud to sponsor their Santa Fun Run & Cycle Ride this year. Last year Shaun Marshall from the club was a runner and ran the Santa Fun Run route for 24 hours non-stop! We’ve already entered a team to take part too and it’s fantastic that businesses and community groups are getting involved too.”
It costs £15 per person to take part in the timed 10k run, £10 for the Family 5k and £20 for the Santa Cycle Ride. The 1k Santa Dash is free for children. Everyone who takes part is being asked to try and raise a minimum of £50 in sponsorship each to mark the charities 50th anniversary.
People can sign up now to take part online at: www.kemphospice.org.uk/santafunrun or call KEMP Hospice Fundraising on 01562 756066. All money raised will go towards KEMP Hospice, helping to provide free-of-charge specialist care and support to people across the Wyre Forest who are dealing with life-limiting illness and bereavement.
