Hundreds of cycling Santas ride 15.5km from Richmond to the Shooting Star hospice in Hampton on 5 December. Free to enter: bring a suit, a helmet and a gift.

Hundreds of riders in Santa suits will set off from the White Cross pub on Water Lane on Saturday 5 December for the 14th Njinga Santa Cycle, a free 15.5km ride to Shooting Star Children’s Hospices in Hampton and on to the Turks Head in Twickenham. Entry costs nothing, but every rider has to sign up in advance, wear a Santa suit and a helmet, and bring a present for a child at the hospice.

The ride is organised by Njinga Cycling, a cycling coaching company. It says the event has raised more than £60,000 for the hospice charity since it began and delivered close to 8,000 gifts, and that this year it is pushing towards a total of £100,000.

“What started as a small group of cycling friends has now grown to a much-loved festive tradition,” the organisers told Richmond Online. “This year we’re aiming to be bigger and better than ever as we push towards our overall 100K fundraising goal.”

The day, hour by hour

According to the event page:

  • 8.30am: arrive at the White Cross, Water Lane, Richmond TW9 1NR, for a short safety briefing and a group photograph. Richmond station is a short ride away.
  • 9am: riders leave in small groups.
  • The ride: 15.5km at a social pace, which the organisers put at 60 to 90 minutes of cycling. It suits anyone comfortable at 10mph or more, and it is a charity ride, not a race.
  • At the hospice: carols led by the Epsom & Ewell Silver Band, with refreshments.
  • The finish: the Turks Head, Twickenham TW1 1LF, where the pub is providing free teas, coffees and bacon butties to every Santa. There is a raffle, fundraising games and a DJ “well in to the afternoon”, in the organisers’ words.

“The ride is fully guided, with our reindeer ride captains and motorbike outriders keeping everyone safe along the route,” the organisers said. “It’s a spectacular, festive sight as a literal ‘sea of Santas’ pedals through the streets of Richmond and Kingston to spread holiday cheer and support a vital local cause.”

Poster for the Njinga Santa Cycle on Saturday 5 December, 8.30am in Richmond: 15.5km, free to enter, bring a bike, a Santa suit and a gift, with a free after party
The poster for this year's ride, the 14th. Photo: supplied by Njinga Cycling

How to take part

  1. Sign up free on the Njinga Cycling Santa Cycle page. Every rider needs their own registration.
  2. Get a Santa suit. “No Santa suit or other festive dress up, no ride,” the page says. There are prizes for the best dressed Santa.
  3. Wear a helmet. No helmet, no ride.
  4. Buy a present and leave it unwrapped. It must be new.
  5. Bring a roadworthy bike. Road bikes, mountain bikes, gravel bikes, hybrids, tandems and Bromptons are all welcome. Lights and a lock help if you are staying for the party.

Children aged 12 and over can ride if they can cycle safely on the road and are with a responsible adult. Riders aged 12 to 17 need a separate waiver form, which the organisers send on request from info@njingacycling.com.

Fundraising on top of the gift is not compulsory, but the organisers encourage it; the ride’s donations go through its JustGiving page to the charity. Companies can enter teams, and Njinga says all corporate entry fees go to the hospice.

What gift to bring

The event page lists what Shooting Star recommends:

  • Comfort: blankets, hats and scarves, pyjamas, slippers
  • Creative and play: craft sets, colouring books with pens or pencils, hand-held musical instruments, books
  • Sensory: lights, massagers, small bubble tubes, touch-and-feel sets such as slime or sand
  • Self-care and useful: body or fragrance sets, hair accessories, nail varnish, water bottles and backpacks for older children

Who the money helps

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices cares for babies, children and young people with life-limiting conditions, and their families, across Surrey and London. Njinga’s page says the charity needs £10.1 million a year to keep its current level of care and that about 20% of that comes from government funding.

What it means for you

If you want to ride, register now rather than on the day, and sort the suit and the helmet early. If you would rather watch, the riders leave Water Lane from 9am and head out through Richmond towards Hampton. For more December ideas, see our guides to Christmas markets and Santa’s grottos near Richmond.