Ayr sporting groups got together last year to organise the 2023 Ayr Santa Dash which took place on Sunday the 17th of December.
Working together, Ayr Rugby Club, Ayr United & Ayr Cricket Club encouraged their fanbase and the wider community to take part and raise money for local charities and organisations.
Despite the biblical rain, the dash was a great success with over two hundred Santa’s making the treacherous journey from Millbrae to Somerset Park.
The headline charities were The Ayrshire Hospice, Ayrshire Cancer Support and Whiteleys Retreat who benefited from a share of the entry money. Thanks goes to the event sponsor Shoot Soccer plus the many volunteers who marshalled the road crossings in terrible weather.
The organisers hope this year’s event will be even bigger with a return fixture from Somerset Park to Millbrae.
Ayr Rugby Club Chairman, Brian Williamson, said,
“In the last year, sporting clubs in Ayr have started working together to encourage community and togetherness. These fun events give people the ability to raise funds for what is important to them, be it a charity, a local organisation or a sporting group or team. The entry money raised £900 for the headline charities and over £10,000 was raised by runners for their charities. We were amazed and delighted by the turnout and intend to make it a bigger affair this year.”
Cheque presentations
Brian Williamson (Ayr Rugby Club)
Martin Tocker (Ayr United)
Ross Mitchell (Ayr Cricket Club)
Elaine Thomson (Ayrshire Hospice)
Nicola George (Ayrshire Cancer Support)
Gillian McNeilly (Whiteleys Retreat)