Rudolph helps to light the way for Wirral Hospice St John’s

Twenty Seven of Wirral’s schools, including Hayfield specialist school, took part in the 2021 ‘Rudolph Run’ involving hundreds of children in aid of Wirral Hospice St John’s.

The succesful Rudolph and Elf Runs over the previous two years have contributed to a record number of schools encouraging their youngsters to take part in an enthusiastic and healthy walk or run, part of their PE lessons, to help raise the funds.

In the run up to the events, and sometimes just before, schools were visited by popular hospice mascot, John Bear, to give the children a ‘warm up’ and, alongside hospice staff, to sensitively explain the work of the hospice.

Sponsor forms were prepared for the kids to take home and families and friends responded, as they always do, positively and generously.

On the day each school picked for its own run, everyone enjoyed dressing up in their Rudolph antlers and noses, and other Christmas attire, to bring some much needed seasonal cheer, with everyone reporting that it really helped their school’s preparations for Christmas.

The schools which took part were, Bidston Village Primary, Brookhurst Primary, Brackenwood Infants and Junior Schools, Christ the King Primary, Church Drive Primary, Egremont Primary, Greanleas Primary, Great Meols Primary, Grove Street Primary, Heygarth Primary, Hayfield School, Higher Bebington Juniors, Ladymount Primary, Manor Primary, Mendell Primary, Our Lady and St Edwards Primary, Our Lady of Pity Primary, Overchurch Juniors, Park Primary, Sandbrook Primary, St Albans Primary, St Anne’s Primary (Rock Ferry), St Joseph’s Primary School, St Peters Primary (Noctorum), Well Lane Primary and Westminster Community Primary.

More than £30,000, a wonderful amount for the hospice, has been raised with a small number of donations still to come in All the schools are being presented with a commemorative Rudolph Run Christmas 2021 certificate of thanks from the hospice.

Every penny raised will go towards the expert specialist nursing care, pain management and patients and family support that is delivered every single day at our local adult hospice.

Sarah Burgess, community and events fundraiser at Wirral Hospice St John’s, said,

“It’s been another fantastic year. It’s so heartwarming and inspirational to see all the children, their teachers, head-teachers, teaching assistants and other staff from the schools who supported our 2021 Rudolph Run. A massive thank you goes also, of course, to the children’s families and friends who make their most generous donations to the hospice. We heard everyone had so much fun and we’ll definitely bringing John Bear back to the schools later on in the year to say his personal thanks to everyone and hopefully to arrange another Christmas event in 2022.”