07 Dec 2025 | Southampton Common
On Sunday 7 December 2025, Mental Elf will return to Southampton Common, bringing you 5K full of festive fun and Christmas magic.
Run, walk, skip, dance, or wheelbarrow if that is your style! Join us in this festive 5K around Southampton Common to kick-start the season with joy.
We encourage you to come in your best striped tights, but if you can’t find your pointed hat, don’t fret! You can still finish the run dressed as a fully-fledged Elf by stopping at our ‘Elf yourself’ stations at each kilometre.
Dust off your jingle bells and register for Mental Elf while places last!
When: Sunday 7 December 2025
Where: Southampton Common
Distance: 5K Fun Run and 1K Juniors Fun Run
Time: registrations open at 9.30am, Juniors and accessible start at 11am, 5K start 11.15am
Ticket prices: adult £16, child £12, family (4 people) £48
Dogs: £2
Mental Elf is more than a fun run - it’s a chance to be part of something truly special. Join us for a day packed with festive cheer as families, friends, and people from across Hampshire come together to celebrate the season and take positive steps for mental health.
Whether you're taking part to support your own wellbeing or to raise vital funds for others, this event brings our community together in a joyful, meaningful way - all while helping Solent Mind continue our essential work.
There will be an early elf start for children who wish to take part in the 1K junior run, or for anyone using aids such as wheelchair users or those with pushchairs.
Elf Yourself Challenge: Stop at each kilometre on the 5K course to collect a new piece of elf kit. By the time you cross the finish line, you’ll have transformed into a fully-fledged festive elf, perfect for those finish-line selfies!
Medal: Collect your Mental Elf medal, kindly sponsored by David Wilson Homes.
Goody Bag: All finishers will receive a goody bag full of festive treats.
Festive Team Warm Up: The team warm up will get your Elf cheeks feeling rosy.
Winners Prizes: Our first place runners and fancy dress competition winners will receive a prize.
And more to be announced...
We are Hampshire’s leading mental health charity, and we are dedicated to improving mental wellbeing for people across the region. We believe your Mental ‘Elf’ matters. By taking part in this event and fundraising for your challenge you will be helping to make a positive difference to people in your community at a time many find difficult. All proceeds from tickets sales and fundraising will go to Solent Mind, funding lifesaving services.
Sign up now
Being a volunteer for Solent Mind comes in all shapes and sizes, and this year we have a new Elf-shaped opportunity!
Help us welcome our fun runners and spread festive joy by volunteering to support Mental Elf. You will receive a goodie bag and free year-long family pass for the National Trust to say thank you for your time!
Volunteering is one of the best gifts we receive - and we can’t wait to spread some magic this Christmas. Click below to register your interest.
Register your interestTo help us continue our life-saving work, we are encouraging everyone to fundraise. We recommend setting your goal at £50. You will have the full support of the fundraising team in the lead up to the event with lots of hints and tips on how to best build your fundraising page and collect donations to support Solent Mind. If you reach your goal of £50 or above by the event day, there will be a thank you gift for you to collect!
Yes, please bring the whole family. Please see our accessibility FAQ’s for information on what to expect if you are using a wheelchair, walker, or pushing a pram or a buggy around the course. There will be activities for children as well as adults taking place before the run kicks off at 12.00pm.
All elves aged 14 and under are welcome to take part in the Juniors 1K. They can then also do the 5K as well if they wish. Any elves aged 15 or over will need an adult ticket. Any elf aged 3 or under won't be able to take part in the juniors run, but they do qualify for free infant entry.
The family ticket applies to both families and groups, it includes 4 people of any age.
There is a lot of parking close to Southampton Common, please note that some will be paid. We advise that you plan your parking in advance of the event, especially if you have any accessibility requirements. Watch this space for a more detailed map of parking options coming soon.
There will also be event stewards in place close to the main parking areas to guide participants to the registration/event area on the day.
Being December, there is a chance that there may be some wet weather. There will be marquees throughout the start/finish area where people will be able to take some shelter if they wish. Please do dress with the weather forecast in mind. The event will not be cancelled if there is rain, however it may be cancelled if extreme weather conditions make it unsafe to go ahead.
Dogs are welcome but must stay on a short lead at all times, and need to stay with you during the run, they cannot be tethered up. You must bring poo bags and pick up after your dog. Please use the bins provided or take it home with you. Please bring adequate water for you and your dog. Please note that you will need to buy a ticket for your dog, which is £2, and includes some dog treats which you can collect at the Tinsel Tails station.. We kindly ask you only enter one dog per runner.
Unfortunately, we are only able to accept dogs to the event, so all other furry, feathery, and scaled festive helpers will need to stay home.
We have taken as many steps as we can to make the event accessible. If you want to know if it will meet your needs, please have a read of our accessibility FAQ’s.
We advise all runners to either only bring what they are able to carry during the run, or to leave personal items with friends or family who are coming along as spectators.
The event will be marshalled by St. Johns Ambulance service who are available to deal with any accidents or injury that may occur on the day.
Please let us know by emailing fundraising@solentmind.org.uk with your name and ticket details as soon as you know you are unable to attend. If we do not pick this up on the event day, please do not worry, we will be in contact when we can. Unfortunately, we are not able to offer any ticket refunds in this instance, however if you contact us, you will be able to pass your entry ticket to someone else to take your place. If you have done any fundraising and are not able to take part, we ask you please to let everyone know who has donated to your page that you did not complete the fun run, and we can support you with this.
Contact Nicky at nburton@soletmind.org.uk or the Fundraising Team at fundraising@solentmind.org.uk
We've tried to answer any questions you may have about the accessibility of this event in our accessibility FAQ's, but if you have read them and still have questions, please get in touch with the fundraising team.
To open our accessibility FAQ's document, click here.
We’d like to extend our heartfelt thanks to David Wilson Homes, our generous Headline Sponsor, for supporting this year’s Mental Elf event. Your commitment to mental health wellbeing and festive community spirit makes all the difference in making this event so special.
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If you have any questions about Mental Elf, or if you would like more information about Solent Mind, please get in touch with our fundraising team.
Email us on fundraising@solentmind.org.uk and will get back to you.
Nobody should face a mental health problem alone. With your support, we can be there for anyone who needs us.
Nobody should face a mental health problem alone. Help us be there for anyone who needs us.
We know that getting active does great things for our mental health, so by taking on a challenge in aid of Solent Mind, you too will feel the benefits!
