What is the Mental Elf Festive Fun Run Wellbeing Challenge?

The Mental Elf Fun Run Wellbeing Challenge is a festive initiative aimed at schools, groups and clubs.

It encourages everyone to engage in physical exercise, mindfulness and community activities to promote mental health, while raising vital funds for Mind in West Essex. The funds raised will be used to support people experiencing mental health challenges in your local community.

Is your school, group or club taking part?

This year we are bringing Mind in West Essex’s best festive fundraising event to your community!

Participants can choose their own challenge, share their progress through social media and access an activity toolkit filled with fun, festive activities! 

How does Mental Elf Fun Run link to the curriculum?

Mental wellbeing is a normal part of daily life, in the same way as physical health. The benefits that physical exercise, time outdoors, mindfulness and community participation can have on mental wellbeing and happiness shows no limits. 

The Mental Elf’s Wellbeing Challenge enables young people to experience the importance of developing resilience and positive mental health through engaging activities and working together to complete a challenge.

The benefits for your school, group or club;

• Wellbeing themed resources and activity toolkit, with teacher/leader and pupil instructions
• Thank you letter for all schools, groups or clubs taking part.
• Achievement certificate for those raising over £100
• Plush cuddly toy sent to those who raise over £200

Why is Mental Elf Fun Run so important?

The funds you raise will help Mind in West Essex to provide life changing support to those living with mental health conditions across Epping Forest, Harlow and Uttlesford, through free and accessible services.

Since January 2025 , Mind in West Essex provided 1:1 wellbeing support for 673 young people aged between 4-18 living with a mental health condition. Our schools team delivered 740 whole class resilience programmes helping pupils to understand their mental health and how to look after it now and in the future.

From June 2024-July 2025, Mind in West Essex provided a range of support for 2,888 adults with a mental health condition. Services included 1:1 support and counselling, peer to peer support, online support groups, wellbeing assistants, mental health coaching and crisis support.

Fundraising challenge ideas for your school

How can your school, group or club join in?

Join us for the Mental Elf Wellbeing Challenge and you could help change the lives of people in need of mental health support right across West Essex.

1. Register your school, group or club – https://forms.gle/Zy9rT4vzszFxHVjT8
2. Choose your challenge – Decide with your class, group or club which fundraising challenge you would like to do from our list of suggestions or create your own! Pick a date and time that works for your school whether it’s a dedicated time for the whole school/group/club to join together, a PE lesson or a health and wellbeing activity, the choice is yours! You can complete your Mental Elf fundraiser any time in December! 
3. Create your fundraising page – Don’t forget to fill in the details of your challenge on your fundraising page and share with your whole community through poster and social media templates (we provide these to you)
4. Share the challenge with your whole community! We can provide a Wellbeing Challenge Resource & Activity Toolkit, posters, social media templates and information flyers about the challenge to send out.
5. Take an Elfie! Grab your best Elf outfits and share your fundraising journey with us on social media!  Whether it’s an elf hat, cheery face painting, a head-to-toe costume or your best festive accessories – we want to see you. #MindinWestEssexMentalElf #MentalElfChallenge2025

Further information can be found in our Wellbeing Challenge packs;

• Mental Elf Schools Pack
• Mental Elf Community Groups Pack

Finally, we want to say a big thank you to Lancashire Mind who created the original Mental Elf Fun Run concept. We are super excited to grow this event year on year in West Essex!

Please note: this Mental Elf Festive Fun Run is a fundraising event organised by [local] Mind. The Mental Elf^TM blog is a separate initiative run independently, providing short, evidence-based summaries of new mental health research. You can visit the blog here (LINK) https://www.nationalelfservice.net/mental-health/