SKIPTON is officially gearing up for the festive season as the call goes out for willing runners and walkers to take part in the annual Great Santa Fun Run.

Taking place for the 15th time, organisers, The Rotary Club of Skipton Craven are hoping this year's event, due to take place on Sunday, November 24, will at last see more than 2,000 people taking part.

Last year, a tantalisingly close 1,848 took part, running, walking or wheeling either a 5km or 3km route around the town. Together, they helped kick off the town's festive season and raised a combined £49,668 for charity.

Lead organiser, Rotarian Peter Ripley, said: “The Great Skipton Santa Fun Run has become an unmissable event on the Skipton calendar. It now forms part of a complete day of Christmas fun, including the Christmas lights switch on.

"We have never quite achieved our target of 2,000 participants – but let’s see if we can make it this year."

The first ever Great Skipton Santa Fun Run took place in 2010, featured just a 5km route and started and finished in Aireville Park. Around 400 runners, joggers and walkers, young and old, and wearing Santa suits, took part in the inaugural event, and raised £18,500 which was distributed to local charities.

Over the years, the numbers taking part have increased, a 3km route has been added, and it now starts in the High Street, taking in both Aireville Park and Skipton Woods, and finishing back in the High Street. Since it first started, it has raised around half a million pounds for charity.

It now also coincides with the turning on off the Christmas lights and the start of the town's festive season, organised by Skipton Town Council.

Mr Ripley added: "We are extremely grateful to chief officer, Louise Close and her team – they are part of our team - and without their support the Great Santa Fun Run would not be the success that it has become."

This year's Great Skipton Santa Fun Run was officially launched on October 21 at an event attended by 30 guests held at the office of Skipton Business Improvement District (BID) in the High Street.

It will start at 11am on Skipton High Street, ahead of the turning on of the Christmas lights later in the day. Find out and to enter, go to: www.skiptonsantafunrun.com

The run marks the start of the Rotary Club of Skipton Craven’s Christmas fundraising activities, which includes sightings of Santa at Morrisons or Tesco supermarkets over the weekends in mid-December and the ever-popular Santa Sleigh, which will be doing the rounds of Skipton and surrounding villages between December 4 and December 19. Further details will be published at the end of November.