One of the most popular festive events on the calendar is making a triumphant return to St Albans.

Rennie Grove Hospice Care will be bringing back the Rudolph Run on Sunday December 5 after last year's event was cancelled due to the pandemic.

This will be a Covid-safe ‘live’ event in the heart of St Albans, starting and finishing at Waterend Barn. Sign up online in advance, choose from a 5K or 1.5K fun run, come dressed in your best festive attire, and Rennie Grove will provide the antlers to top off your outfit!

The charity is also welcoming virtual entries to its Rudolph Run this year so anyone, anywhere can take part during December. If you opt for the virtual version, you choose the route, the time and the date. Sign up online before Friday November 26, and Rennie Grove will send you a pair of antlers in the post.

If you belong to a club or group, get them together to do the run when you meet. Brownies, Scouts, football clubs or rugby clubs could all get involved and run together. Or get your class to take part and run as part of your PE lesson. Share your festive photos on social media and don’t forget to tag Rennie Grove.

Although there are currently no government guidelines on social distancing or other restrictions, to keep everyone safe and feeling comfortable at the ‘live’ event, there’ll be several time slots with limited numbers in each wave of runners.

People taking part in the 1.5K fun run on December 5 will set off at intervals between 10am and 11:30am, with 5K runners following on from midday.

It costs £6 per child (aged up to 15) and £10 per adult (16+) to enter, which covers the cost of putting on the event. If Rudolph runners can collect sponsorship too, those funds go directly towards specialist care for local families affected by life-limiting illness.

Just £60 could pay for two hours of specialist care in a patient’s home or at Grove House, helping to keep families together this Christmas. More people than ever need this care, especially during the holiday season when other services are limited.

So sign up today at www.renniegrove.org/rudolphrun and select your start time by clicking the 'register now' button.