Mental Elf this year will be a TIMED 10k, 5K and Family Fun Run that will be taking place on 30th November with the 10K race starting at 10.00am (registration opens at 9.00am) and the 5k Fun Run starting at 11.00am in the beautiful grounds of Elvaston Castle, Derbyshire. The event will be full of festive fun while raising awareness about Mental Health and Wellbeing and raising much needed funds for your local mental health charity, Derbyshire Mind.
What is Mental Elf?
Mental Elf is a family friendly fun run and is a ticketed fundraising event hosted by Derbyshire Mind.
What better way to kick off the festive season than to don an elf costume and raise money for your local Mental Health charity, Derbyshire Mind? Fancy dress isn’t essential but is encouraged! We will be running several competitions on the day including best dressed pet and best dressed elf. We are giving you plenty of notice to get your costumes ready and can’t wait to see what you come up with.
The day will be full of festive cheer for all the family. The circular 5k route (twice round for the 10k runners) is perfect for families (dogs welcome!) and is accessible to all, you can run, walk, or even skip in true elf style if that takes your fancy. The event is open to all abilities and ages, children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
Are you an Eager Elf? Sign-up now!
All profits from ticket sales will go directly to Derbyshire Mind, enabling us to support more people in Derby and Derbyshire with their Mental Health and Wellbeing.
We will be offering discounts for family tickets and group or corporate teams too.
What’s included in the ticket price?
Registration
Running Number
Your personal time for the run
Medal for all finishers
Goody Bag AND
PRIZES for “Best Dressed Elf” and MORE!
Where is Mental Elf 2025 being Held?
Mental Elf fun run will start and end at Elvaston Castle, the route is a circular route around the grounds. There is ample parking at the venue (pay and display) and toilets on site.
Getting to Elvaston
The estate entrance and only car park for visitors arriving in vehicles, is off Borrowash Road between Borrowash Village and Thulston. Just follow the brown tourist signs from either direction and they’ll direct you right to us.
For further information about Elvaston Castle and getting there, please click here.
And a HUGE thank you to our Sponsors and Supporters
Mental Elf this year is being run in conjunction with our partners DSV Logistics, Derbyshire County Cricket Club, Derby Runner, Titanium Race Timing, Starbucks Derby, Elvaston Castle with Derbyshire County Council and others.
Our sincere thanks to everyone involved in and supporting the event this year.
Event Summary
Date: Sunday 30th November
Location: Elvaston Castle, Derbyshire
Race Registration opens at 9.00am
10k Timed Race Start: 10.00am
5k Family Fun Run & Timed Race starts 11.00am
Dress code: Festive Elvish fancy dress is encouraged!
There will be competitions on the day for best dressed Elves, more info on categories coming soon…
FAQ's
Is there parking on site?
Yes, there is a pay and display car park with ample parking.
Are there toilets?
There is a toilet block near the start and finish line and other facilities around the site.
Are spectators allowed?
Absolutely, the more the merrier. Elvaston Castle is a great site and there is plenty to do while the runners are on the course.
Will there be food available?
We plan to have concession stands, including Coffee Shop, hot and cold food. We shall be selling cakes to raise funds for Derbyshire Mind. There will be a small treat for all registered runners/walkers finishers, alternatively, there is also the Elvaston café on site.
Do I have to get sponsorship?
We are asking that all participating Elves (Adult running Elves and our Little Elves too) might be able to raise at least £25 on top of your entry fee. If you are coming as a family, perhaps set that as your family target.
If you did want to help us raise additional funds for Derbyshire Mind then you can set up a JustGiving page. See info in the Useful links here below. Thank You
Can I get a refund?
Under normal circumstances entry tickets are non-refundable. See below for cancellation of the event info.
What if the weather is bad?
Our aim is that the event will go ahead rain or shine, we will only cancel if there is an extreme weather warning.
What happens if the event is cancelled?
In the extreme circumstance that we have no choice but to cancel the event, we shall seek to provide a refund options to participants. These may include;
a) Providing a straight refund
b) Providing a code to use for our Mental Elf 2026 Event, or
c) Participants may wish to gift Derbyshire Mind their entry fee.
Please note: Any fundraising done for the event would not be able to be refunded due to the JustGiving platform terms and conditions.
Can’t find the answer to your question? Drop us a line at fundraising@derbyshiremind.org.uk
Finally, we want to say a big thank you to Lancashire Mind who created the original concept of Mental Elf. We are super excited to introduce this event at Derbyshire Mind!