Banbury area schools are being urged to take part in a choice of fun fundraising activities and support the local hospice

Katharine House has created two schemes that will challenge pupils physically or mentally and are appealing for schools to sign up now to either the Schools Santa Fun Run or the Accumulator Challenge.

The popular Schools Santa Run initiative returns this year and will see pupils from nurseries and primary and secondary schools don a Santa hat provided, by the hospice, and hold their own sponsored run as a class or whole school event.

Dozens of schools have taken part since the scheme was created three years ago and, so far, runners have helped to raise a whopping £50,000 for Katharine House.

In addition, the hospice has relaunched its popular Accumulator Challenge where local schools, community groups and businesses are asked to put their entrepreneurial skills to the test and turn £50 start-up money, provided by the hospice, into as much money as they can.

Teams are encouraged to use exciting and creative ways to raise the money and the campaign ends with an awards ceremony in Spring, 2024 to celebrate everyone involved.

Events Manager Helen Lerwill said: “Encouraging children to raise money for our hospice doesn’t just benefit our patients and their families, it also helps pupils feel part of their community and gives them a sense of empowerment.

“Our Schools Santa Run is a simple outdoor activity designed to be flexible for every school, to fit within their PE curriculum or as a fun extra-curricular activity for both pupils and teachers. But mostly it’s just a great way to end the term.

“And our freshly relaunched Accumulator Challenge is a great way to encourage pupils to hone their entrepreneurial and fundraising skills.

“We rely heavily on the fundraising efforts of our local community, so if any schools can help us fundraise to ensure or services can continue for many years to come, we’d love to hear from them.”

Last year the hospice cared for around 1,300 people in the local community and is available to a population of 176,000 in north Oxfordshire and south Northamptonshire.

Katharine House catchment includes areas and villages around Banbury, Bicester, Brackley, Byfield, Chipping Norton, Priors Marston, Shipston-on-Stour and Woodford Halse.