12 SANTAS walk into a pub may sound like the first line of a joke – but this was serious business
Especially as they found a group of six already in there!
Uppermill found itself the centre of Christmas spirit as the 2023 Santa Dash took place.
Some 1,800 entrants came in Santa outfits with red, blue, green, black and purple hats. Elves, snowmen. trees and reindeer turned up too.
Some came with tinsel-enhanced walking poles and the sound of sleigh bells echoed through the village.
You know it is Santa Dash when you are treated to the sight of six Father Christmases waiting to cross at the High Street’s traffic lights!
The weather was fairly frightful on Saturday, December 2 – snow and ice lay on the ground around the 2km and 5km courses.
But the feeling was so delightful as the event raised funds given out by organisers Saddleworth Round Table, who manned the stalls at Uppermill Park as the field got ready.
Come 2pm, the road was awash with striding Santas as the event got underway – even the sun came out, not that it made much difference!
Some travelled with Baby and Puppy Christmas – although from the look of one child it was just an excuse to have the most exhilarating sleep for a long time.
And the effects will be felt around the area after £20,000 was raised by the event.
Cheques were reserved for many teams who submitted to enter Santa Sash, with every entrant having half the ticket price gifted back to the club they represented.
Before the day was over, Round Table had donated more than £3,000 back to the community. Oldham Foodbank, who came to the event, received a further £3,100 for their Christmas appeal.
Leader of the dash event, Andy Rothwell, said: “We have been blown away by the positive feedback received for the event but wouldn’t be possible without the Table volunteers and all the marshals that put forward their time to make the event run smoothly.
“The advance help from our sponsors Robert Scott and Greene’s Bistro is invaluable and allowed the team to invest on making the event bigger and better with every passing year.
“We are contacted on a weekly basis for people / organisations in need of our support and it’s important to us that if you need help and are struggling to find it elsewhere then come and speak with the team.”
You had to wonder, though, what the bride and groom, as well as guests, at the wedding at Sacred Heart and St William Catholic Church thought when they learned their big day would see them surrounded by Santas!
Cue bemused guests emerging wondering if they would be able to move their cars – not until Santas, their elves, reindeer, snowmen, children and dogs went through…
You must be logged in to post a comment.