Mental Elf 2025 - Breaking records

Record-breaking Mental Elf 2025

Elf-clad runners and walkers were asked to ‘step into Christmas’ at Leyland’s Worden Park and they responded in their droves, raising a magnificent £21,000 for mental health charity Lancashire Mind.

More than 450 people, from tiny tots to pensioners, took part in the charity’s Mental Elf festive
fundraiser, making it the biggest one yet in the 12 years its been going.

There was a warm festive glow around the park and Worden Hall as runners descended dressed as elves or in Christmas-themed attire, many joined by cutely dressed pets for the best dressed dog parade. And they didn’t let a couple of heavy downpours dampen their day as they took on either the 5K run, the Mini Elf 2K or a Challenge YoursElf route where runners chose their own distance.

A day of festive fun and community involvement

Organised by Chorley-based mental health charity Lancashire Mind, the event brought a day of festive family fun and lots of fundraising to improve mental health across the county. There was face painting and craft stations, live music and dance performances, plus festive boosts along the route.

The concept of the Mental Elf fun run was created by Lancashire Mind and is now replicated by more than 40 other local Mind charities across the country.

Impact on mental health

All proceeds from the Leyland fun run go directly to supporting Lancashire Mind’s life-changing mental health services. These funds help provide wellbeing coaching, therapy, supported housing, workplace support and educational programmes to individuals and families.

Nicola Tomkins, community and events fundraiser at Lancashire Mind, said: “Mental Elf 2025 was our biggest and best yet thanks, once again, to incredible support from the Lancashire community and beyond.

We know that people travelled from more than an hour away to take part, doing something positive for their own wellbeing and raising vital funds to support others, too.

The £21,000 raised could allow Lancashire Mind to support, for example, 47 children with a six-week course of virtual wellbeing coaching; that’s free one-to-one support to help overcome challenges such as anxiety, low mood, worry, school pressures and friendships.

A huge thank you to everyone who took part and helped us to change lives.“

Support from the business community

The event was backed by several businesses, led by Preston-based SPAR wholesaler James Hall & Co. Ltd as the headline sponsor once again.

Philippa Harrington, marketing manager at James Hall & Co. Ltd, said: “Mental Elf was another amazing event delivered by the Lancashire Mind team with more runners than ever before, including colleagues who flew the SPAR and James Hall flag, participating and volunteering on the day.

It is great to see the profile of the event increase once again in 2025, and I am so pleased that the charity has been able to break the £20,000 fundraising mark this year too which will fund important mental health support work across Lancashire.”

Additional sponsorship was provided by Blackburn-based fulfilment and logistics provider, Granby; live-in care provider Promedica24 (Lancashire, Cumbria and North Yorkshire); solicitors Marsden Rawsthorn, digital marketing agency, Complete; and Essential Industrial Services, based at Walton Summit.

And the fun continues

Schools can host their own sponsored Mental Elf event during December. It can be anything
from a fun run around the field/playground, to an elf dress-up day, or a festive bake sale or
Christmas card making.

Mental Elf – Wellbeing Challenge