TO celebrate the most wonderful time of the year, First News is running an online advent calendar on First News Live! until Christmas Day.

We’ve got 25 festive treats wrapped up in the form of fun videos, celebrity shout-outs, Christmassy galleries (prepare for a parade of pups in Santa hats) and other surprises, ready and waiting for you! All you have to do is open the new “door” each day.

And behind door number three…

The London Santa Dash!

Today (3 December 2017), the London Santa Dash will see thousands of people dressed as Santa Claus merrily make their way around an optional 5k or 10k course in Clapham Common to help raise vital funds for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity (GOSH).

The event starts at 11am today and will see peeps of all ages and abilities take part including some very inspirational GOSH patients with their families. 

Money raised by dashing Santas will go towards the hospital’s dedicated play team who design activities for children to aid their treatment, recovery and understanding of their illness, making their hospital experience as stress-free as possible. Their support and activities help provide fun and smiles to their time in hospital.

Eleven-year-old Arun is running today!

Eleven-year-old Arun has been a GOSH patient since he was 6 weeks old, for a condition which affects his kidneys. 

Even though he faces daily medical challenges, takes six medications a day, and has been under general anaesthetic 14 times, he is a British gymnast champion and will be taking on the Santa Dash challenge with his family for a third year.

Arun tells his story in the video above.

ADVENT CALENDAR: Plenty of doors have been opened! Now see what we’ve revealed!

GET INVOLVED: The London Santa Dash! 

I DON’T GET IT: Why Advent Calendars in December?