Father Christmases in race against time!
People across the strath are being asked to don Santa Claus outfits to do their bit for charity.
They are invited to celebrate a special year of milestones and successes for the WildHearts charity by joining them at their annual Santa Run in Inverness on Sunday December 4.
The fifth annual run will once again be held at Inverness Leisure, with friends, families and office teams from across Scotland taking part in the fun event with a festive twist.
Participants are invited to walk, jog or run around the 5km route along the River Ness wearing Santa Suits provided by WildHearts to ensure they look the part.
Children will be able to participate too – as ‘Wee Santas’ decked out in special Santa t-shirts and hats – and enjoy kicking off the festive period with their families.
WildHearts provide microloans and business training to help people in the developing world work their own way out of poverty, giving them a hand up and not a hand out.
Previous events such as the Santa Run and WolfTrek – a 45 mile walk from Forres to Cairngorm Mountain via Grantown - have played a vital role in WildHearts’ growth, culminating in the charity opening projects in 14 new countries this year across Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Most recently WildHearts has been launched in Pakistan, where founder Mick Jackson survived a traumatic ordeal whilst attempting to climb Broad Peak and K2 in 2001.
Returning home to Scotland he pledged to dedicate himself to helping the world’s poorest people.
WildHearts is the fulfilment of that promise and Mick is excited about celebrating its successes at the Santa Run.
He said: "The Santa Run has been instrumental in helping WildHearts transform lives across the globe.
"It’s been a delight to have Santa Runners from across Strathspey and Badenoch join us at the event over the years; from local businesses such as Cairngorm Mountain Ltd, to families and friends from Grantown, Aviemore and Kingussie, to running groups such as the Cairngorm Runners.
"They’ve helped us grow from operating solely in Ghana to fighting poverty in fifteen different countries on four continents.
"This year has been very special for WildHearts and we would like nothing more than to see in the festive period with our supporters.
"Money raised at this year’s event will be re-lent to people living in poverty for years to come, building on the legacy of the Santa Run and giving poverty-stricken people across the world a truly meaningful Christmas present."
The entry fee for the event – which includes a Santa suit to make sure all participants are festively prepared, a medal and a goody bag – is £15 for adults and £10 for under 13s, who receive a special Santa t-shirt and hat.
For more information on the Santa Run or to sign up visit www.wildheartsinaction.org or call 01309 678100.
