Local schools are being urged to take part in a choice of fun fundraising activities and support their local hospice.

Katharine House has created two schemes that will challenge pupils either physically or mentally and are appealing for schools to sign up now to either the Schools Santa Fun Run or the Accumulator Challenge. 

The popular Schools Santa Run initiative returns this year and will see pupils from nurseries and primary and secondary schools don a Santa hat provided, by the hospice, and run their own sponsored run as a class or whole school event. 

Dozens of schools have taken part since the scheme was created three years ago and, so far, runners have helped to raise a whopping £50,000 for Katharine House.   

In addition, the hospice has relaunched its popular Accumulator Challenge where local schools, community groups and businesses are asked to put their entrepreneurial skills to the test and turn £50 start-up money, provided by the hospice, into as much money as they can. 

Teams are encouraged to use exciting and creative ways to raise the money and the campaign ends with an awards ceremony in the Spring of 2024 to celebrate everyone involved. 

Events Manager Helen Lerwill said: “Encouraging children to raise money for our hospice doesn’t just benefit our patients and their families, it also helps pupils feel part of their community and gives them a sense of empowerment. 

"Our Schools Santa Run is a simple outdoor activity that is designed to be flexible for every school to fit within their PE curriculum or as a fun extra-curricular activity for both pupils and teachers. But mostly it’s just a great way to end the term!

“And our freshly relaunched Accumulator Challenge is a great way to encourage pupils to hone their entrepreneurial and fundraising skills. 

“We rely heavily on the fundraising efforts of our local community, so if any schools can help us fundraise to ensure or services can continue for many years to come, we’d love to hear from them.”

Find out more about the Schools Santa Run

Find out more about the Accumulator Challenge