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Issue:-
5 December 2013
Liverpool
Santa Dash
2013 Photographs and video by
Patrick Trollope.
THE has held another amazing event, the annual Santa Dash
which took place on Sunday, 1 December 2013 and may have set a world
record with over 10,000 runners dressed in Santa costumes. Liverpool
is one of two places holding the world's biggest Santa dashes, the
other being Las Vegas. The rivalry is intense and this fires the
imagination in both cities, resulting in some amazing stunts to drum
up extra interest and runners. This year, there was the
commissioning of a
cake and also a celebrity packed
horse drawn
carriage to name but 2, which seems
to have paid off. This dash again took place over a 5k route in and
around the City Centre, with the aim of raising money for a host of
charities. It had an extra boost thanks to a special visit from
Father Christmas, who had jetted in from Canada to see what was
going on. Beth Tweddle was one of the many VIP's attending the event
which also included X-Factor star Chris Maloney, and Everton legend
Joe Royle. It also featured 2 Las Vegas showgirls who had flown in
to Liverpool Airport from the USA, in a private plane, just to
witness this yearly spectacle. They had also been joined by a party
from Las Vegas, who came to see what we were doing and also to show
cross support, despite the rivalry... They even had a film crew
shooting the event for the US TV Stations! Las Vegas race director,
Linda Smith, said that:- "Both ourselves and Liverpool are
stretching our hands across the globe this festive period
symbolising what Christmas is all about. The events on both sides of
the pond have one main goal, which is to raise money for good
causes. I hope that other countries and cities can follow our
examples, in what we’re both trying to achieve." The race
got underway beneath the world famous Liver Buildings and then
snaked itself through and around the City Centre before ending
outside the Town Hall. We will not know if Liverpool can reclaim the
world record from Las Vegas just yet, but as the Las Vegas race
supporters attending the Liverpool race said: - "It looks like
it will be close again, but no matter who wins, as long as we have
raised lots for charity, that is what counts!" The Lord
Mayor of Liverpool, Cllr Gary Millar, added: - "It would be
nice to reclaim the record, but it is mainly about the people of
Liverpool coming together, as they always do, to have fun and
raising mass amounts of money along the way." Las Vegas who
are hosting their own
Dash on 7 December 2013 in a
bid to remain as champions have a hard job to follow, so watch this
space. This year in the UK the official event charity was Claire
House Children's Hospice, supporting charity Walking With Giants
along with Liverpool Unites for Alder Hey Children's Charity, who
should have raised a lot of much needed funds though this race,
along with many other good causes. After the main race, the
Children's race took place setting off from the Town Hall and
returning there after going round a smaller course through the City
Centre. It was also extremely well attended. If you took part let us
know by emailing us to:-
news24@southportreporter.com and let us know what you
thought of the event. At the very end of the race Father Christmas,
along with some of the UK racers and the US contingent joined forces
on the roof of the Thistle Atlantic Tower to shoot an advert to
promote Liverpool and its race to the US and also in the UK for next
year. We have a few video shots of the advert being filmed along
with a few pictures at the end of this photographic report covering
this race. Well done to the organisers and also to all who took part
and if you want to get involved in next year’s event, keep an eye on
the official website by clicking on
here now. In true British sportsmanship:-
"Good luck to Las Vegas, we hope you also manage to raise lots of
cash for your charities too."
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Fraudsters
Threaten Air Ambulance Donations
THE Air Ambulance
Service (TAAS) is calling upon its supporters and potential
donators to be wary of rogue collectors posing as a Charity.
The Charity is concerned that vital income could be lost as a
result of companies that carry out fraudulent activities and try
to trade on the Charity's good name and reputation.
Worried about the effect that bogus clothing collections will
have on its donations at the most important time of the year,
Chief Executive Andy Williamson said:- "Christmas
donations of money and clothing are crucial to our service and
yet we now have to worry that criminals are distributing bogus
bags that try to fool people into thinking they are giving to us
when they are not".
TAAS has recently received several reports of a hoax Charity,
simply calling themselves "Air Ambulance Service",
sending out collection leaflets (pictured above) nationwide and
encouraging people to donate to them.
These hoax leaflets ask people to donate unwanted items such as
clothing, and provide a phone number and website address, but do
not include a registered charity number. The phone number
provided is no longer in use and the website clearly states that
the service is a 'scam'.
The company originally responsible for distributing these
leaflets was caught out and closed down by the High Court over 2
years ago. The company's directors were subsequently prosecuted.
At the time, it was believed that over £1 million was extorted
from the public by rogue collectors claiming to be from Air
Ambulance Charities. However, these leaflets appear to be in
circulation once again, with reports of deliveries to addresses
throughout England.
The Air Ambulance Service would like to make it very clear that
this "Air Ambulance Service" is a hoax Charity
and, despite adopting a very similar name, is in no way
affiliated with "The Air Ambulance Service".
These misleading leaflets have a serious and detrimental impact
on the Charity's recycling operation and public image. Andy
goes on to say:- "As a Charity, we are extremely concerned
that this will affect our legitimate collections. We would
encourage everyone to please check the bags and make sure they
support a true air ambulance Charity. Criminal activities like
this put people off from donating which, particularly at
Christmas time, can be devastating for a small Charity like
ours."
TAAS is the umbrella organisation for 2 Helicopter Emergency
Medical Services (HEMS):-
►
Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance (WNAA) and
Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Air Ambulance (DLRAA).
►
They also run The Children's Air Ambulance (TCAA),
a national Charity that transfers critically ill children and
babies from hospitals to Paediatric Intensive Care Units across
England and Wales.
► The Charity receives no Government
funding, relying entirely on public support to keep its
helicopters flying and its crew saving lives on a regular basis.
► The Charity operates every day of
the year, including Christmas Day, and needs to raise over £3
million every year to keep each of its services running.
TAAS is currently in discussion with the Police and Trading
Standards about this new wave of rogue leaflets.
TAAS's collection bags clearly state which Charity the
collections are going to and also include the Charity's
registration number. For further information, please call:-
08454 130999, or to see an example of what their collection bags
look like, and to find out more about them click on to the
official
website.
To make a donation to
The Air Ambulance Service this Christmas, you can also call:-
08454 130999 or go
online.
THE Air Ambulance
Service (TAAS) is calling upon its supporters and potential
donators to be wary of rogue collectors posing as a Charity.
The Charity is concerned that vital income could be lost as a
result of companies that carry out fraudulent activities and try
to trade on the Charity's good name and reputation.
Worried about the effect that bogus clothing collections will
have on its donations at the most important time of the year,
Chief Executive Andy Williamson said:- "Christmas
donations of money and clothing are crucial to our service and
yet we now have to worry that criminals are distributing bogus
bags that try to fool people into thinking they are giving to us
when they are not".
TAAS has recently received several reports of a hoax Charity,
simply calling themselves "Air Ambulance Service",
sending out collection leaflets (pictured above) nationwide and
encouraging people to donate to them.
These hoax leaflets ask people to donate unwanted items such as
clothing, and provide a phone number and website address, but do
not include a registered charity number. The phone number
provided is no longer in use and the website clearly states that
the service is a 'scam'.
The company originally responsible for distributing these
leaflets was caught out and closed down by the High Court over 2
years ago. The company's directors were subsequently prosecuted.
At the time, it was believed that over £1 million was extorted
from the public by rogue collectors claiming to be from Air
Ambulance Charities. However, these leaflets appear to be in
circulation once again, with reports of deliveries to addresses
throughout England.
The Air Ambulance Service would like to make it very clear that
this "Air Ambulance Service" is a hoax Charity
and, despite adopting a very similar name, is in no way
affiliated with "The Air Ambulance Service".
These misleading leaflets have a serious and detrimental impact
on the Charity's recycling operation and public image. Andy
goes on to say:- "As a Charity, we are extremely concerned
that this will affect our legitimate collections. We would
encourage everyone to please check the bags and make sure they
support a true air ambulance Charity. Criminal activities like
this put people off from donating which, particularly at
Christmas time, can be devastating for a small Charity like
ours."
TAAS is the umbrella organisation for 2 Helicopter Emergency
Medical Services (HEMS):-
►
Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance (WNAA) and
Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Air Ambulance (DLRAA).
►
They also run The Children's Air Ambulance (TCAA),
a national Charity that transfers critically ill children and
babies from hospitals to Paediatric Intensive Care Units across
England and Wales.
► The Charity receives no Government
funding, relying entirely on public support to keep its
helicopters flying and its crew saving lives on a regular basis.
► The Charity operates every day of
the year, including Christmas Day, and needs to raise over £3
million every year to keep each of its services running.
TAAS is currently in discussion with the Police and Trading
Standards about this new wave of rogue leaflets.
TAAS's collection bags clearly state which Charity the
collections are going to and also include the Charity's
registration number. For further information, please call:-
08454 130999, or to see an example of what their collection bags
look like, and to find out more about them click on to the
official
website.
To make a donation to
The Air Ambulance Service this Christmas, you can also call:-
08454 130999 or go
online.
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