This place is vibrant and bright, and I was shocked at the atmosphere around me. I was expecting a grey and sad place, full of tearful people struck down with a curse of something terminal. And while it's true that kids who will die do pass through the doors, there's no tip-toeing reverentially around by the staff, just warmth, homeliness, and incredible caring for these children.

East Anglia's Children's Hospices (EACH) is a registered charity and cares for children and young people from birth up to their 19th birthday. These kids may have been born with a genetic disorder, have a problem with their bodily systems, a complication at birth, or an accident during their childhood.

Others may have suffered from organ failure, or cancer.

And this beautiful old building, just north of the A14 near Cambridge, houses staff and facilities to help care for these kids and their families, before, during and after the end of life.

There are currently 18 children from the Peterborough area in the care of EACH, and it was interesting to note that no charge is made for those using the services.

Which leads me to the point of this week's column. The standard of care the hospice offers is very expensive to deliver. And with only around 25 per cent of funding coming from the Government, reliance on voluntary donations and local fund-raising is not only important, but actually essential.

So, after asking me if I would like to get involved with a fund-raiser called the Peterborough Santa Run, I was only to happy to accept. In fact Hereward FM, and Norwich and Peterborough Building Society have also backed the event. It's a 2km fun run with a difference. The difference being, all the runners have full Santa outfits on. Imagine the scene... hundreds of Santas running walking, even crawling, if necessary, the 2km course around the picturesque setting of Ferry Meadows on Sunday, December 7, starting at 11am.

It's not a race, just an event; entry is £12 and includes your very own Santa outfit to keep. (You even get the beard.) A family of five can register for just £30. Or how about getting your workmates to all do it with you?

If you want more details on the Santa Run, or indeed more information on the hospice, you can click www.each.org.uk.