Bees for Development are thousands of pounds better off thanks to a Christmas gift.

The 10th annual Santa Fun Run was held in December and raised £2,613 for the charity, with help from Barclays match funding.

The donation will ensure that Bees for Development can continue their excellent work around the world as well as in Monmouth and the surrounding areas, ensuring friendly environments for bees to help halt the decline of pollinating insects.

The programme manager for Africa at Bees for Development presented a cheque to Janet Lowore this week at their shop in Monmouth, by Barclays Bank employee Emma King and the race director from Spirit Of Monmouth Running Club, Stuart Kramer.

The amount donated this year is one of the largest donations made to date.

The event has been a great success within the local community and was set up by Spirit of Monmouth Running Club in 2010 after they formed the previous year.

So far they have raised funds for ten different local charities with assistance from Barclays.

Over 500 runners took part with a red sea of Santas running up Monnow street being led by a bee on a bike, attracting runners of all abilities and ages, the perfect weather on the day made the event itself a very enjoyable day with excellent feedback from everyone involved especially the runners.

The date for 2020 has already been confirmed as Sunday December 6. Stuart Kramer race director would like to thank fellow club members, who sit on the race committee for the Santa Fun Run and volunteers on the day also club member Emma King’s employer Barclays Bank for matching £1000 of the amount raised on the day also for their on-going support since 2013 and to her colleague Claire Gibbons for her involvement with the raffle.

The Spirit Of Monmouth Running Club donated over £5,500 to charity in 2019 with a little help from Barclays. The next event organised by the club will be the Kymin Dash taking place on Sunday, March 29 - entries are now open. More information is available on the group’s website.

The club has over 100 members ranging in age from 18 to beyond 65 and regularly take part in a variety of events, from fun runs to marathons and even ultra-marathons.

The Spirit of Monmouth club is affiliated to Welsh Athletics and are an inclusive club, catering for a wide range of running abilities.