There’s still time to sign up to Santa Dash

If you’ve always fancied doing a good turn as Santa you have your chance this Sunday (December 15). The Hospice of St Francis is holding its festive Santa Dash around the streets of Hemel Hempstead to raise money to help care for patients with life-shortening illnesses. Over 300 Santas have signed up so far and will all be raring to go as Claire Skinner, star of BBC sitcom Outnumbered, sounds the claxon to start the dash at 10am! Registrations for the event are still open until 9:30am on Sunday. All you need to do is turn up at Riverside, Hemel Hempstead and register at the Hospice’s pop up shop and you will be given your Santa suit! Then, you just need to run, or walk, the 2.5 mile route. Santa Dash is open to all ages and registration costs £15 for adults, £5 for children or £35 for the whole family (including dogs!) and includes Santa suits or reindeer antlers. In addition, entrants are asked to raise as much as they can in sponsorship for the Hospice by running or walking the route. Just £50 could fund an hour’s counselling session for someone facing loss this Christmas, while £85 would fund an hour’s nursing care on the Hospice’s Inpatient unit. Everyone who participates receives a free mince pie and hot drink at the finishing line plus a voucher from sponsor the Red Lion pub in Water End.