South Cumbrian Elf Dash Returns For 2026

​Schools and nurseries across South Cumbria are being invited to take part in this year’s festive Elf Dash fundraiser.

Registrations are now open for the St Mary’s Hospice Elf Dash, which will return this December with schools and nurseries encouraged to organise their own festive fundraising run. The event gives children the opportunity to take part in an activity with their classmates while raising money to support hospice care across the local area. The 2026 event is sponsored by HP Activities and follows a successful fundraising campaign last year.

The Elf Dash raised £45,000 for St Mary’s Hospice during the previous campaign, demonstrating the level of support generated by participating schools and nurseries. A total of 23 local schools and nurseries took part last year, bringing children together for a festive challenge that combined physical activity with fundraising. Organisers are now hoping to build on that participation as registrations open for this year’s event.

The format of the Elf Dash allows each participating group to arrange the challenge around its own timetable. Schools and nurseries can choose their preferred date, time and location for the run, giving staff flexibility to organise the activity in a way that suits their pupils and existing plans. This approach also means groups can hold the event within their own school or nursery environment.

Children taking part will receive an elf hat to wear during their dash, adding a festive element to the fundraising activity. The event is designed to be accessible for groups of children while encouraging them to get active together and support a local charity. The organisers are inviting schools and nurseries to register and begin planning their own event ahead of the December campaign.

Fundraising will take place through sponsorship collected by participating children from family members and friends. The money raised will be divided between the participating school or nursery and St Mary’s Hospice. Twenty per cent of the sponsorship raised by each group will go directly back to its school or nursery, while the remaining funds will support the hospice and its work providing care.

The fundraising model gives participating schools and nurseries an additional benefit from taking part in the event. By encouraging children to seek sponsorship, the Elf Dash can generate support for hospice services while also providing funds that can be used by the participating education settings. It therefore combines a community fundraising effort with a direct contribution to the organisations taking part.

The money retained by St Mary’s Hospice will help fund its palliative and end of life care services. The charity supports people living with life limiting illnesses and provides care for patients and their families. Fundraising events such as the Elf Dash form an important part of the income used to maintain those services and meet the costs associated with providing specialist support.

St Mary’s Hospice says voluntary income is particularly important to its work, with eight in 10 patients cared for by the charity supported through voluntary income. This means fundraising by local communities, schools, businesses and individuals plays a significant role in helping the organisation continue its services. The Elf Dash provides schools and nurseries with a straightforward way to contribute to that wider fundraising effort.

The event is also intended to bring children together during the festive period. Taking part as a school or nursery group allows pupils to participate collectively rather than completing the fundraising challenge individually. The combination of exercise, sponsorship and festive activities gives the Elf Dash a community focus while keeping the event centred on children and their local schools.

Area fundraiser Heidi Bowron said the Elf Dash had become a special part of the festive season. She highlighted the involvement of hundreds of local children and the importance of combining enjoyment with fundraising for hospice care. Her comments reflected the charity’s aim of using the event to encourage community participation while generating vital voluntary income.

The previous event demonstrated the potential scale of the challenge, with 23 schools and nurseries joining the campaign. The £45,000 raised provided significant support for St Mary’s Hospice, while the participating education settings also benefited from the 20 per cent share of sponsorship. Organisers are now hoping that further schools and nurseries will register for the 2026 event and help increase participation.

The flexible arrangements mean participating groups do not have to follow one fixed route or timetable. Instead, each school or nursery can determine when and where its children will complete the challenge. This allows organisers to consider their own facilities and schedules while still taking part in the wider Elf Dash campaign.

The festive theme is expected to provide an additional attraction for pupils, with the elf hats giving children a recognisable feature to wear during their runs. The event can also encourage children to become involved in fundraising conversations with their families and friends, helping them understand the importance of supporting local charitable services.

For St Mary’s Hospice, the return of the Elf Dash provides another opportunity to connect with schools and nurseries across South Cumbria. The charity relies heavily on voluntary income to support its work, making community fundraising campaigns an important part of its wider financial support. The involvement of education settings can also help introduce younger generations to the role of hospice services within their communities.

Schools and nurseries interested in taking part in the 2026 Elf Dash can register through St Mary’s Hospice or contact the charity's fundraising team by email. Organisers are encouraging groups to sign up ahead of December so they have time to plan their event and organise sponsorship activities with pupils, families and staff.

The return of the Elf Dash follows a successful previous campaign and gives South Cumbrian schools and nurseries another opportunity to combine festive activity with charitable fundraising. With the event allowing each participating group to choose its own arrangements, organisers are hoping to see widespread involvement across the area and raise further funds for local hospice care.

Got a news story or tip to share? Contact our editorial team by emailing news@lakelandpost.co.uk or call us directly on 0333 090 2080.