Join us on Sunday 7th December at Marble Hill Park, Twickenham for festive frolics and Christmassy vibes and raise funds for local mental health services. Registration begins at 9:30AM, and the run begins at 11AM. 

The Mental Elf Festive Fun Run is a festive 5km fun run around the beautiful Marble Hill Park – walk or run your way around the route. The event is open to all abilities and ages, as well as our doggie friends. Festive fancy dress is strongly encouraged but not essential!

The event highlights the importance of physical wellbeing to support our mental wellbeing, and to raise vital funds for Richmond Borough Mind.

The 5k route is 3 laps around the park. We want to involve as many community members and supporters as possible, so you are welcome to complete 1 or 2 laps of the route if you prefer. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. 

Ticket Pricing

  
Adult Elf £15
Child Elf (under 16 years) £10
Mini Elf (under 3 years) free
Elf Family (2 adults & 2 children, or 1 adult & 3 children) £45
Elf Team (maximum 8) £105
Doggie Elf £1
Raffle Tickets – a strip of 5 tickets £10

Please help us raise more – there are two ways you can do this:

  • Create a fundraising page – details below.
  • Purchase raffle tickets by clicking on the blue button at the top of this page. Save time on the day by purchasing tickets in advance or take part even if you can’t make the event.

As a result of a national partnership with The National Trust, all entrants will receive a family pass to a National Trust property of your choice, valid until March 2026.

START YOUR FUNDRAISING

Included in your entry fee:

  • Entrance to the Fun Run
  • An eco-friendly wooden medal which can be reused as a festive decoration
  • Free family pass for a National Trust property
  • Guaranteed fun!!!

Set up your fundraising page on JustGiving

Once you have signed up for the Mental Elf Festive Fun Run we ask you to set up a JustGiving page. By creating a page you can really boost your impact, supporting those in our community who are struggling with mental health issues. 

It only takes a minute to set up your page:

  1. Click on the pink button below, which takes you to our JustGiving campaign page.
  2. Click on the orange ‘Start Fundraising’ lozenge on the right hand side of the page to create your own page, which will be linked to ours.
  3. Use our pre-filled story and photo or create your own content.
  4. Share with family and friends.

PLEASE create a page and PLEASE PLEASE share with family and friends. If all our elves taking part do this, it will make an incredible difference!

START YOUR FUNDRAISING

Give a gift this winter 

Can’t attend but would like to donate?

Step 1 of 4

Donate

We are reliant on support from individuals, businesses and the public sector.

Donation Frequency
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Volunteering

We would not be able to make the Mental Elf Festive Fun Run a success without the support of amazing volunteers, and we have a range of roles available.

All volunteers will receive a free family pass to a National Trust property of your choice, valid until March 2026.

If you would like to become an Festive Fun Run Volunteer, please see role information below and sign up 

Festive Fun Run Volunteer Roles 2025

Become a Festive Fun Run Volunteer

Here’s a taste of what we got up to last year:-

Course Description 

We start and finish on the green space opposite the Coach House Café in Marble Hill Park. This is where you will register for the event and collect your race number. 

The Fun Run will be a three-lap course around Marble Hill Park. This is a park setting so the paths are not always paved and are liable to be muddy and uneven. Please take care when making your way around the route and wear appropriate footwear. 

Toilets are available onsite and will be open throughout the event. They are located next to the Coach House Café which will be open and serving refreshments. 

 

How to get there

Marble Hill Park is located in between Twickenham and Richmond town centres. Mental Elves are strongly encouraged to arrive under their own steam or by public transport. 

Address: Marble Hill Park, Richmond Road, Twickenham, TW1 2NL

Find us on Google Maps

Getting there by public transport

Train access: St Margaret’s and Twickenham stations. 

Tube access: Richmond station 1 mile. 

Bus access: TfL 33, 490, H22, R68, R70 

The closest bus stops to Marble Hill Park are Marble Hill Park/Crown Road and St Stephen’s Church. 

Getting there on foot

The site can be reached on foot from Twickenham Station (22 minutes walk) and St Margaret’s station (11 minutes walk) 

Getting there by road

Sat Nav instructions: 

Postcode : TW1 2NL
Latitude : 51.450975
Longtitude : -0.315819  

Parking onsite will be severely limited due to other events at Marble Hill Park, however on-street parking in the surrounding roads is available free of charge on Sunday mornings. Please refer to parking signage as this can vary by location. 

Course Safety

We wish to make the Mental Elf Festive Fun Run as safe as possible, so participants, spectators and helpers are asked to follow these tips to ensure that the event is fun and safe for everyone. 

  • Please be considerate to other park users at all times. 
  • Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied (within arm’s reach) throughout the event by a parent, guardian or appropriate adult of the parent’s choice.
  • Please arrive by foot, pedal-power or public transport if you can – your efforts help to reduce our impact on the park and the planet.
  • Take care on roads and car parks – some vehicles drive very quickly. Please congregate away from the cars and be particularly careful if you have children. If you’re driving to the event, please drive carefully even if you’re late!
  • Take care on uneven surfaces – whether on grass or on tarmac. Watch out for cyclists, other participants, pedestrians, children, dogs, wildlife, park animals, vehicles, park maintenance work, falling branches, bollards, posts and other obstacles around the course.
  • Please ensure that you are fit enough to walk, jog or run 5k (3 miles) with us.
  • If you see someone with a serious problem, please stop to help them out and get help as soon as possible.
  • If you’re watching, keep clear of participants on the course, and look after any children and dogs you may have with you.
  • You are welcome to take part with one dog by your side, always within reach, on a short, handheld, non-extendable lead. Please clear up and dispose of any waste. Doggy Elf tickets are available for purchase.
  • Runners pushing buggies are welcome, but please take care of others around you and do your best to start at an appropriate place in the field for your pace. 

A huge thank you to our Sponsors!

For information visit their website: Lboxcomms.com

 

 For information visit their website: equipmentsolutions.groupebpce.com

Want to know more about how your business can get involved?
Please email fundraising@rbmind.org for information on corporate sponsorship opportunities.

Please note: this Mental Elf Festive Fun Run is a fundraising event organised by Richmond Mind. The Mental ElfTM blog is a separate initiative run independently, providing short, evidence-based summaries of new mental health research. You can visit the blog here

Thank you to English Heritage for allowing us to hold this event in Marble Hill Park. Why not combine your Mental Elf Festive Fun Run with a visit to the House, or even see Santa! For more details click here

Finally, we want to say a big thank you to Lancashire Mind who created the original Mental Elf Festive Fun Run concept. We are super excited to grow this event year on year in Richmond!