Jolly Santas, Christmas trees, reindeer and puddings joined a fun run through the city for the Ely Festive 5K

A whopping £13,000 and counting has been raised by hundreds of people taking part in Ely Festive 5K fun run

Hundreds of festive fun-runners took part in Arthur Rank Hospice’s annual event on Sunday morning (25), starting and finishing in the grounds of Ely Cathedral.

So far this year, Ely Festive 5K has raised £13,142.47, with funds still being sent in and collated.

Donna Talbot, director of fund raising and communications at Arthur Rank Hospice, said: “We are thrilled the Ely Festive 5k fun run continues to go from strength to strength.

“With the number of places for participants increased this year, it was wonderful the event sell-out, with 800 people donning Santa hats to run through the streets of the city.

“The Hospice delivers Hospice at Home to many people in Ely and the surrounding area and this is just one of the important services, that this fun run helps to fund.

“We would like to sincerely thank all of those involved and hope everyone enjoyed Santa’s early arrival in the city.”

Philippa Hazel and Caroline Simons, completed the fun run just six months after having babies and said: “It was tough, but we really enjoyed it and we’re now feeling very proud that we managed to get around.

“The sun was shining as we went down the hill past the Cathedral and it was just amazing to see how much effort everyone had put in.

“There were quite a few people running in memory of someone, where they had a poster on their back saying who they were running for.

“We choked up a bit about that, but it was really beautiful. It is just a lovely, wonderful event to be involved in.”

There was an impressive array of outfits on show, with a team of penguins, a selection of Quality Streets, reindeers, Christmas trees, a candy cane, a runner with a glitter-and-bauble-beard, a handful of Christmas puddings, a host of angels, and even a sleigh-like mobility scooter making their way around a new 5K route.

Christmas Chaos, a family team of grandma Patricia Kirwan, mum and Aunt Lesley Owen and children Felicity Owen and Emily Brown, were crowned best fancy dress winners.

Lesley said: “I’ve been raising money for Arthur Rank Hospice for a few years now , they helped Grandad.”

Patricia said: “Dad passed away this year and during his illness the hospice nurses came to see him.

“The hospice was a charity he wanted donations to, so this is going to be a Christmas tradition for us as a family every year.”

Prizes went to fastest male Harry Winslet who completed the route in 17:33; fastest female Lauren Thomas in 21:12; fastest boy under 16 Jacob Bell in 18:38; fastest girl under 16 Millie Robson in 20:32; and fastest team Figgi Pudi Yum! consisting of Jacob Bell, Conan Fyer, Oliver Taylor and Holly Mac-Fall, whose total combined time came to 1:25:14.

Since its launch Ely Festive 5K has raised £86,490, helping fund Arthur Rank Hospice’s services at the Hospice in Cambridge, the Alan Hudson Day Treatment Centre in Wisbech and in patients’ own homes.