Festive fun runners snap up up half the available places for Ely Festive 5K!

Despite having only just launched registrations for Ely Festive 5K at the start of September, Arthur Rank Hospice Charity is announcing that nearly half of the available places have already been allocated.

Ely Festive 5K – headline sponsored by Ward Gethin Archer and Price Bailey LLP - takes place on Sunday 24 November, with a start time of 9am. 

More than 400 people have now signed up for the popular fun run, which starts and finishes in the beautiful grounds of Ely Cathedral.  Ely Festive 5K brings some timely Christmas cheer to the City, with hundreds of merry runners completing a push-chair friendly 5K route.  Last year’s entertaining fancy dress efforts included reindeers, groups of elves, waddles of penguins, clutches of sparkling angels, a selection of Quality Streets, Christmas trees, fig puddings and a bauble-beard! 

The picturesque route includes partial road closures and winds around the City’s historical streets and riverside. The early bird price of £12.50 for adults and £8.50 for children (under 16 years) is available until midnight on Monday 7 October.  After this date the registration fee increases to £15 for adults and £10 for children. Arthur Rank Hospice Charity is warning that over the previous four years, the fun run has sold-out, weeks ahead of the event!  

There could be an extra bonus for families registering before 7 October. Busy Bee Recruitment will generously refund 50 kid’s places. Kayleigh Bysouth, Founder, comments:  “Busy Bee Recruitment Ltd are pleased to support Arthur Rank Hospice for the second year. We will be providing 50 free child places, showing our commitment not only to our local community but promoting health and wellbeing. As a company we believe it is important to promote healthy living from a young age, to ensure that we have a healthy workforce in our area for generations to come.”

The race is chip-timed, so runners and teams can record their official finish times. However, in a change from previous years, rather than awards for fastest runners, there will instead be spot prizes and a winning trophy for the best fancy dress, giving everyone an equal chance to win a prize! All winners receive a Santa’s hat and finishers medal. Santa himself may even make an appearance and there will be glasses of mulled wine and mince pies available for a small donation. 

Tasha Hills, Senior Events & Marketing Manager for Arthur Rank Hospice Charity comments: “We are so grateful to Ely Cathedral for once again allowing us to start and finish our seasonal fun run in their grounds. It’s a lovely setting for a special morning, which has become a real highlight for the Hospice, getting participants and spectators in the mood for the festive season! If you would like to be part of the fun, I would encourage you to register soon.  We’re astounded with how quickly the places fill up; it seems to be getting quicker each year!”

Over £85,000 has been raised by Ely Festive 5K since it first started in 2010, through registration fees and the energetic sponsorship efforts of those taking part. Funds raised by the event will contribute to the £8.25 million Arthur Rank Hospice needs to secure annually, to deliver its essential services free of charge to patients and their loved ones. 

If you would like to take part, sign up now at http://www.arhc.org.uk/ely-5k-registration.asp or call 01223 675888 for a postal registration form.  

Completed forms can be sent to the Arthur Rank Hospice at Shelford Bottom (Cambridge). Registration will close upon reaching capacity, or at 1pm on Friday 22 November. In the unlikely event that places remain available on the day, they will be priced at £17.50 for adults and £12.50 for children.



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