Lancashire Mind seek last sponsor for Mental Elf event

Mental Health charity Lancashire Mind are seeking a Lancashire company for the final sponsor of their flagship fundraising event Mental Elf.

The event is the charity’s biggest fundraising event of the year and is especially important this year. Lancashire Mind saw a significant drop in their fundraising income as almost all planned events and challenges were cancelled due to Covid–19.

The race, which is usually a 5km run around Witton Park in Blackburn, has this year moved online and been extended to a staggering 3,226km team fundraising challenge - the distance from Lancashire to Santa’s home in Lapland

People are being urged to join in running, walking, skipping, swimming or even cycling up to a collective distance of 3,226km (2,005 miles) between Tuesday, December 1, and Saturday, December 12, all in aid of Lancashire Mind.

Fundraising manager Emma Bateson said: “Mental Elf is Lancashire Mind’s flagship fundraising event and is in its 6th year. This is the first time the physical event has been replaced with a virtual challenge and we are really excited to have created something new whilst also retaining all the best bits of Mental Elf from previous years.

“Lancashire businesses are always a key part of Mental Elf and we’ve had a fantastic response so far to our corporate sponsorship packages. We now have just the £200 Finish Line sponsorship package left. It’s a great opportunity for Lancashire companies to promote their businesses and also show their commitment to the mental wellbeing of all in Lancashire.

“As well as sponsorship opportunities the event itself is a great way to bring employees together- entering a team is a fun way of keeping the workplace team spirit up even when you’re not all physically in the office. Participants log as many kilometres as possible so that by the end date we’ll have racked up enough to reach from Lancashire to Lapland! The great thing about doing it virtually is that anyone in Lancashire can take part at any time, any place. You can log five kilometres or fifty – it’s completely up to you.”

Emma added: “Christmas can be a difficult time for many people, so having a collective goal will bring the people of Lancashire together and give them something fun and positive to focus on – especially after such a challenging year.

“Sponsorship is a fantastic way to support a local charity whilst achieving a route to market and generating great brand awareness amongst your customers.

“We have a large network of supporters across our social media, mailing lists and website visitors. Not to mention all those we reach through our work in schools, communities and workplaces, making it an extremely attractive offer for any business.”

Last year Lancashire Mind worked directly with over 12,000 children and adults across the county and reached thousands more through phone calls, emails and on social media.

“It’s so important that we’re able to continue to deliver our services to the people of Lancashire especially at this current time and are hoping for support from Lancashire businesses.”

Any business that would like further information should contact emma.bateson@lancashiremind.org.uk