Christmas may be a distant memory but fundraisers at East Cheshire Hospice are already gearing up for the next festive season.
The Hospice hopes thousands of youngsters will take part in Reindeer Rush, emulating the success of last year’s Santa Dash.
That raised a whopping £59,209, one of the biggest amounts in the event’s history.
Mark Whitwood (third from left) from Active Sport with Hospice staff.
Some 39 schools and other organisations took part in what has become the Hospice’s biggest mass participation event of the calendar.
Community and Events fundraiser Sarah Elvin said: “We can’t quite believe how much we’ve raised – it’s a crazy amount.
“We’re overwhelmed by the response from schools and groups who responded to the challenge of raising funds for patients, carers and their families.
“We had participants from across Cheshire and we’re so grateful for such amazing support. It is a giant community effort showing enormous love for the Hospice and what we do.”
Groups carried out various activities, including walking, running, swimming, dancing and a nature trail in one case. The event was sponsored by Active Sport for the second year running.
Sarah said: “We leave it up to the groups. It’s whatever works best for them. They can make it as flexible and inclusive as possible.
“There’s a different theme each year and next time it’s a Reindeer Rush. We’ll be inviting everyone to get involved again. We had an Elf Run a couple of years ago.”