Christmas charity fun run/walk to tackle loneliness this festive season
A Hertfordshire-based singles community, Be Dating Beautiful, is hosting a Christmas Charity Fun Run or Walk on Sunday 21st December at 10:30am to raise vital funds for the Marmalade Trust, the charity behind national Loneliness Awareness Week.
The festive event will bring local people together for a 6km run, gentle walk, or simply a cuppa afterwards, all with the goal of helping those experiencing chronic loneliness this Christmas.
Founder Eleni, who created Be Dating Beautiful in June this year, says the mission is personal: “I started Be Dating Beautiful after experiencing loneliness myself as a single parent. When I got divorced five years ago, the festive season felt incredibly isolating. It was only through therapy and slowly rebuilding my confidence that things began to shift.
I realised how hard it is for singles to know where to turn, and how few safe, uplifting spaces exist to genuinely connect offline. That’s why I created Be Dating Beautiful, to build a community where people can meet face-to-face, move their bodies, make friends, and feel part of something again.
In just six months, I’ve watched strangers become friends, seen people laugh together again, and felt the weight of my own loneliness lift too. I’m so grateful for every single person who’s joined us on this journey.
This Christmas, I want to help raise awareness for those who are struggling, support a charity that makes a real difference, and create a fun, free event that gives people the chance to connect and feel supported.”
Loneliness in Numbers
Recent studies suggest that long-term loneliness is one of the largest health concerns we face. It is as harmful as obesity or smoking 15 cigarettes a day.*
Data shows;
- 85% of UK adults have experienced loneliness in the past 12 months
- 44% feel chronically lonely
- 500,000 older people go five or six days a week without speaking to anyone
- 3.9 million older adults rely on the TV as their main source of company
The Marmalade Trust
Marmalade Trust is an award-winning UK loneliness charity dedicated to raising awareness of loneliness and helping people of all ages build meaningful social connections. Since 2013, the charity has directly supported thousands and reached millions more through its outreach and campaigns.
Their work includes national awareness campaigns such as Loneliness Awareness Week, launched in 2017 and now a global movement reaching hundreds of millions.
The Event
A Christmas Charity Fun Run or Walk on Sunday 21st December at 10:30am. We are encouraging everyone to dress festively... from Santa hats to full on Christmas costumes, with a prize for the best dressed. Both running and walking groups will be led by volunteers. After the activity, everyone is invited for a warm drink and mince pie at The Three Horseshoes, Norton Road, Letchworth at 11:15am.
Eleni adds: “Whether you run, walk, donate, or simply join us for a cuppa, your support will lift someone who needs it this Christmas. Let’s spread a little festive cheer and remind people they’re not alone this December.”
Be Dating Beautiful has rapidly grown into a thriving community of singles since launching just six months ago. The group runs a free Monday night run club in Hitchin, as well as monthly social meet-ups designed to create organic, pressure-free connections.
Donations are welcomed via the JustGiving page; https://www.justgiving.com/page/herts-no-one-alone-this-christmas
Find out more about the event at https://bedatingbeautiful.com/