Mental Elf festive fun run Birmingham 2026

Join Birmingham Mind for our fourth festive fun run on Sunday 29th November at Cannon Hill Park! We are very excited to bring back our Mental Elf festive fun run for its fourth year! Check out the video to last year's event here. We are so proud of how this event is growing and becoming THE event to kick off the festive season. It's a fun run for EVERYONE. Our event is inclusive event for all ages, abilities and communities to take part in. You can choose to walk, jog, skip or run the 5km or 1.5km route, its all about having lots of festive fun whilst raising funds to support people across Birmingham and Solihull with their mental health. Taking place at Cannon Hill Park on Sunday 29th November, this event celebrates bringing people together, not only to fundraise, but to spend time in nature and raising awareness for mental health and wellbeing. It promotes the benefits of physical activity, connecting with people and doing something good for you whilst giving something back to your local mental health charity. Sadly, the festive season can be a difficult time for some people. Throughout December 2025, Birmingham Mind's mental health helpline team handled 1,540 calls, averaging 50 calls per day, including 139 calls between Christmas Eve and Boxing Day. This is why we organise events like this, so we can continue providing vital services, ensuring everyone gets the respect and support they need with their mental health. All funds raised during our festive fun run will stay here in Birmingham to help fund the vital services to support people with their mental health. Services such as our Central Wellbeing Hub at The Bullring & Grand Central. Thank you to all our elves and to everyone who sponsors them. Together, we can ensure Better Mental Health for All. Take part in our festive fun run at Cannon Hill Park! You can choose to walk, jog, skip or run the 5km/1.5km park run route. The event is open to all ages and abilities, children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Discounts are available for family and group/corporate teams. Elf fancy dress is very much encouraged as this year we will have "Best Dressed Elf" competitions! Sign up to take part! If you’re just as excited as us then you can get signed up NOW and take advantage of our current “Eager Elf” discounted tickets. Eager Elf tickets will be available until 10pm on Friday 2nd October. We have kept the Eager Elf ticket prices the same as last year and tickets for "Elves under 5" free of charge but due to rising event costs, our general sale ticket prices have increased compared to last year. Your ticket price includes - Registration and running number - Pre event warm up - Medal for all finishers - Goody bag including a snack and water -Access to photographs after the event The location Our Mental Elf festive fun run will take place in Cannon Hill Park, starting and finishing near the band stand. Fundraising Last year almost £20,000 was raised from this event, which is an incredible amount. Our aim is to reach £25,000 this year. Through your generous fundraising efforts, you are helping us ensure everyone in Birmingham and Solihull has somewhere to turn to for support and advice with their mental health. Please can you help us reach this target? We are encouraging every person who signs up this year to aim to raise £50. By raising £50, you could help support five mental health support groups with arts and craft supplies. If you wish to ask family, friends or colleagues for sponsorship, you can set up your Just Giving Page here: https://justgiving.com/campaign/birminghammindmentalelf2026 For find out more information, please visit our website or email [email protected] Finally, we want to say a big thank you to Lancashire Mind who created the original concept of the Mental Elf festive fun run. This event is already growing each year here in Birmingham and we want it to become THE event that Birmingham Mind are known for, so please do help us spread the word!