Mental Elf

Join us on Sunday 1st December! South Park, Darlington. Registration from 10am.

We’re excited to launch our first ever Mental Elf 5km event! This is a fun, festive event which focuses on bringing people together, not only to fundraise, but to raise awareness of mental health and wellbeing. It promotes the benefits of exercising in nature, connecting with people and doing something to help others. We want everyone to have lots of festive fun whilst raising funds so we can support people with their mental health in Darlington and surrounding communities.

You can choose to walk, jog, skip or run the 5km route. It’s a two lap route of beautiful South Park taking in all its main landmarks. The event is open to all ages and abilities - children under 16 must be accompanied at the event by an adult and well behaved dogs on leads are welcome. Elf fancy dress is very much encouraged!

Booking open now!

The Location

The Mental Elf fun run will take place in South Park, Parkside, Darlington DL1 5TG. There is some free roadside parking nearby and plenty of town centre car parks if you want a warm-up walk or jog! Please respect local residents when parking. There are toilets and a café on site. The route is entirely within South park on the tarmac path network (no cross country involved!). Registration will be located near the café.

Who can take part?

All abilities and all ages can take part; the event is non-competitive Children aged 5 and under can take part for free and all children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Are dogs allowed?

Yes. Well-behaved dogs are welcome to run with you or come along with spectators. Please watch out for other runners along the route. Dogs must be kept on a short lead and we ask owners to be mindful of both adults and children that may be uneasy around dogs, even if your pet is friendly.

What does a ticket include?

Your entry fee includes a runner's medal and a goody bag as well as a warm-up led by a fitness professional. Some entertainment will also be provided on the day.

Can I walk the route?

Absolutely! We encourage everyone to go at their own pace, especially if bringing children. Pushchairs are welcome but, for safety reasons, we cannot permit bicycles or scooters.

What are the rules for Mental Elf?

Mental Elf is a non-competitive event and race times will not be recorded. The route is nominally 5km but is not a measured competitive distance and the actual length of each lap is approximately 2.45km for a total distance of 4.9km – a little gift from the elves!

Download the route map

Setting up your Just Giving page

Whilst fundraising isn’t a condition of entry for this event, it would be great if everyone taking part would give it a go! If you’re new to sponsoring try raising just £20. You can ask family, friends or colleagues for sponsorship, and you can set up your own Just Giving Page and link to the Darlington Mind page. The more money you raise, the more people Darlington Mind can help.

Alternatively, you can download and print our sponsorship form.

How will you use my personal data?

See our data use document for more information.

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