Dorset Mind's first festive 5K is at The Great Field, Poundbury, at noon on Sunday 13 December. Walk, jog or run; Early Elf tickets £12 adults, £5 children.
Dorset Mind will hold its first Mental Elf Festive Fun Run on The Great Field in Poundbury at 12 noon on Sunday 13 December, a 5K that people can walk, jog or run at whatever pace suits them, in aid of the county’s local mental health charity.
Cheaper “Early Elf” tickets are on sale until Friday 13 November. After that the price of every ticket goes up, by £3 for an adult and £8 for a family.
The run is not a race. In the charity’s words there is “no pressure to race or achieve a particular time”, and the event page asks for elf hats, Christmas jumpers and reindeer antlers. Dorset Mind says it is also planning a shorter route for younger children and anyone who does not want to do the full 5K, with details to follow once the route is agreed.
Ticket prices
| Ticket | Early Elf (to 13 Nov) | Standard (from 14 Nov) |
|---|---|---|
| Adult, 16 and over | £12 | £15 |
| Child, 5 to 15 | £5 | £7 |
| Family | £32 | £40 |
| Under 5 | Free, registration required | Free, registration required |
Children under 16 must take part with a registered adult. The family ticket covers two adults and children aged 5 to 15, but the two sources disagree on how many: the charity’s press release says up to three children, its event page says up to two. Check the booking page before you buy one for a family of five.
The event page says every paid ticket includes entry, a bib and a finisher’s medal. Fundraising on top is welcome but optional: “You don’t have to fundraise to take part, but we’d love you to help us raise even more,” the charity says.
On the day
According to the event page:
- 11am: registration opens
- 11.45am: welcome, briefing and warm-up
- 12 noon: start
The Great Field is where the Dorchester parkrun community already meets, and the fun run starts after the morning’s parkrun. Dorset Mind asks people to check the event page for practical updates before the day. Afterwards, it suggests Pavilion in the Park for a coffee or something to eat, and says to check the Pavilion’s opening arrangements nearer the time.
Why Dorset Mind is doing it
The run belongs to the Mental Elf movement: festive fun runs held by many of the Local Minds in the Mind federation to raise money and awareness for local mental health support. This is the first in Dorset.
Emma Murgatroyd, Community and Events Fundraising Manager at Dorset Mind, said:
“We’re really excited to bring our outreach to Dorchester, the county town, and to hold our first Mental Elf Festive Fun Run at The Great Field, such a well-loved location for the local parkrun community.
“The event is part of a much wider movement taking place across many Local Minds around the country, and we’re looking forward to creating our own event here in Dorset. We want people to feel welcome, whether they’re walking with friends, getting the family involved or bringing colleagues along for a festive team challenge.
“You don’t need to be a runner, and there’s no pressure to race. It’s about coming together, enjoying the festive season and helping us make a difference to mental health locally.”
The money raised goes to Dorset Mind’s work with people who have mental health difficulties across the county. The charity says the run is a chance to come together “at a time of year that can be difficult for some people, while helping ensure local mental health support remains available to those who need it.”
What it means for you
- Book by Friday 13 November for the lower price: dorsetmind.uk.
- Workplaces and groups are invited to enter as teams, as are families and groups of friends.
- Under-5s go free, but still have to be registered.
- Questions go to the charity’s fundraising team at fundraising@dorsetmind.uk.
More festive dates across the county are in our guides to Christmas markets and Christmas lights switch-ons.
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