Run, Rudolph, Run! School children take on festive fun run for hospice care

6th June 2026

St Luke’s Rudolph Run 2024

Local primary schools have been dashing and prancing around the playground as they take part in St Luke’s brand new Rudolph Run.

The festive fun run is for schools to take part in while raising funds for the care services we provide in the local community.

Schools from across the city and the surrounding area have been taking part in the run, with the children encouraged to get sponsorship from family members, while gaining an understanding of the work St Luke’s does in their community. So far, more than £3,500 has been raised from the Rudolph Run which is enough for us to provide a package of care at home for at least 3 families.

Holy Cross Catholic Primary School

One of the schools taking part was Holy Cross Catholic Primary School in St Judes, with nearly 300 pupils running through Beaumont Park wearing a pair of reindeer antlers they had each decorated themselves ahead of the event.

Partnerships Lead at St Luke’s, Sarah Wallis said: “Holy Cross Catholic Primary School haven’t just chosen to do the Rudolph Run, they are also giving us their collections from their Nativity Plays and a Carol Concert at St Boniface Cathedral as well. They know just how vital St Luke’s is to their community and have been really committed supporters of St Luke’s for a number of years. They have also had a couple of super fundraisers in the school who have contributed over £100 each to the school’s fundraising efforts. It was really quite something to see all three hundred Holy Cross children running through Beaumont Park, it was magical!”

Headteacher Finola Gill said: “As a Catholic school, the principles of Catholic Social Teaching are central to our curriculum and looking after others by supporting charities such as St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth, is important to us. At Holy Cross, we encourage the children to look beyond their own needs and wants and to consider those less fortunate.

“St Luke’s is close to our hearts as it is a local charity which goes above and beyond to serve the community and this is why 288 children and over 20 members of staff put on their Christmas jumpers and completed the Rudolph Run. They raised a phenomenal amount of money through sponsorship and we are extremely grateful to all those who supported us.” 

Boringdon Primary School

Pupils at Boringdon Primary School in Plympton took part in the run on Wednesday 18 December, raising more than £2,300, providing a care at home package for at least two families.

Year 5 teacher and PE Lead Naomi Campbell said: “St Luke’s is a local charity and we have had families in the past involved with them so it is a charity really close to the school’s heart so it was really good to be involved in the Rudolph Run.

“St Luke’s is a charity the children hear about, they’ve got parents who have perhaps done other bits and pieces for St Luke’s and will be aware of it in that way. By taking part it empowers children, they feel they are helping a local charity like their parents might have done in the past, while making them aware for if anything was to happen in the future.

“It’s coming up to Christmas and for the children as much as they’re thinking about Santa and things arriving for them, it’s also a time of giving and showing the children that by doing the Rudolph run we’re giving back to help two families in the local area is really important.

“We planned for the children to do ‘Rudolph says’ during the run, they also skipped, hopped, jogged, danced, wiggled, jiggled and some even rolled. We just had a great time moving around and raising funds for St Luke’s.”

Thank you

Other schools participating in the Rudolph Run include: Horrabridge Primary School, Milton Abbot Primary School, St Mellion Primary School, St Peter’s RC Primary School, Pilgrim Primary School , St German Primary School, Darite Primary School , Marine Academy Primary School Running Club and College Road Primary School.

Sarah added: “All of the schools taking part have been completely amazing. When I have visited their schools to talk about St Luke’s and our work in their communities, I have been so impressed with the childrens’ care and compassion, and their inciteful and thoughtful questions about the hospice. Their fundraising efforts will make a difference to patients and their families, even to other children facing a difficult Christmas without someone they love or even facing a last Christmas as a family together. I am looking forward to visiting the schools in the New Year to thank them personally for their fundraising and have also invited them to visit us at our specialist unit so they can see first hand what a difference their amazing fundraising is having on our care.

“Thank you also goes to Delt Shared Services for generously supporting our Rudolph Run and providing all the print materials, helping to bring a fun and engagement element to the children participating. Making the children aware of St Luke’s in this fun way, encourages ongoing support from them as they grow up, while giving them a broader understanding of the work we do.”

Thank you to all the schools taking part in our Rudoph Run, we have loved seeing all the fabulous photos. Make sure to tag us on Facebook in all your photos from the event. You can pay in your fundraising here. If you are interested in fundraising for St Luke’s at your school, we would love to hear from you. Contact us at funadmin@stlukes-hospice.org.uk.

Pay in your Rudolph Run sponsorship money Hold your own fundraising event

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