If you see Father Christmas running repeatedly around the streets of Gloucester this weekend, it won't be your eyes playing tricks on you after a month in lockdown.

They will all be taking part in the Rotary Club of Gloucester's annual Santa Fun Run to put smiles on faces and raise much-needed cash for the James Hopkins Trust, which cares for life limited and severely disabled children. The charity was chosen by this year's president, Richard Wright.

In recent years, the fun run has started in Gloucester Park and ended at Rotary's Tree of Light in Eastgate Street. But Covid-19 has forced organisers to make changes. The event is now a a virtual run, which starts on Saturday 5th December and lasts all week.

Already 250 people have signed up to run 1k or 5k, and it's not too late to join them.

Organiser Matt Cass said: "So far we have raised £1,700 for the James Hopkins Trust. All we ask is that any new entries simply donate what they can to take part."

The Rotary Club was originally offering Santa snoods to all participants, but has now run out of the snoods.

To take part, runners and walkers should follow the link below and post photos of them running in their very best festive outfits to the social media pages.

More details on www.GlosSantaFunRun.co.uk 

https://www.facebook.com/RotaryClubofGloucester

https://twitter.com/RotaryGlosUK