Tractor and Santa Runs help raise nearly £100,000 for hospice near Banbury over the festive period

Supporters of the Katharine House Hospice raised an incredible amount of money over December by donating their time and money to the range of events and initiatives on offer.

One of the highlights of the festive period in Banbury was the popular Tractor Run organised by RC Baker, which attracted thousands of people to watch brightly illuminated tractors and raised over £27,000.

The annual Santa Run, which has become the hospice’s flagship event, saw 400 Santas of all ages and sizes take to the Spiceball Park raising a further £27,000 for the charity.

Alongside the Spiceball run, almost 10,000 pupils took part in their own Santa runs at schools across the local community, raising more than £4,000 for Katharine House.

Jennie Steenkamp from RC Baker Ltd, which runs the Tractor Run every year, said the company has been fundraising for Katharine House ever since her grandfather Ray Marcham spent his final days at the hospice in January 2004.

She said: "We have always chosen Katharine House when we have done any fundraising because of the amazing care they gave to Ray. I never anticipated that this event would be such a huge fundraiser and I couldn’t be happier that it has turned into such a massive success.

"Looking back to that first event in 2016, it has grown beyond what I could ever have imagined. To think that we now have to limit the number of tractors on the run and that we’ve raised £97,000 over the years is just unbelievable."

The hospice also collected £32,000 from donors as part of the Lights of Love event, which remembered the lives of lost ones as well as £3,000 from the Christmas tree-cycle scheme.

Head of fundraising for Katharine House Stephanie Lawless said: "Our supporters are always incredibly generous, but we know that times are hard at the moment, and were concerned that people wouldn’t be able to support us in the same way.

"We are absolutely delighted to have raised so much and feel so grateful to our community for standing by us."

For a full list of the events and initiatives Katharine House has planned this year, visit khh.org.uk/events.