With the signs of the festive season all around, it is time for the annual Jingle Bell Walk/Run again. The event, which will start at Kings Sports Centre, is set to take place on Saturday, 12 December, and is co-sponsored by the Caymanian Compass.

Festive Family Fun
With Christmas in the air, participants are encouraged to get into the festive spirit, with jingling bells and Santa hats more than welcome.

It is a family event and the organisers encourage participants to take the entire family out to participate – even the four-footed members of the family, whether canine or reindeer.

With raffle prizes to delight young and old alike and with Santa Claus in attendance, it promises to be a great early start to the festive season.

For the more active, the run is the perfect opportunity to loosen up the legs after the Cayman Islands Marathon the weekend before. Of course, it is also an opportunity to launch a pre-emptive strike against the festive over indulgence likely to take place in the weeks following the event.

Running for a cause
This will be the seventh annual running of the event, which is in support of the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre.

The CICC is a non-profit organisation that provides temporary shelter to abused women, housing them and their children in a safe, supportive environment. The organisation also runs community education programmes on domestic abuse and sexual violence.

The Jingle Bell Run has a special poignancy for the organisation as it was created under the leadership of the late Estella Scott Roberts.

The funds raised through the event will be used to support the Safe Shelter Programme. Since the opening of the shelter in 2003, more than 200 women have made use of the facility.   WH

The runners will take off at 6.45am with the walk following at 7am. There is a $20 entry fee for adults, with children taking part for free.