LAST Christmas, 15 members of Tracey Lee’s family – and their dog Peggy – entered Hospiscare’s inaugural Jingle Jog festive fundraiser in memory of Tracey’s mum, Shirley Dodge, from Cullompton, who was cared for by the hospice in her final days.

This year, they’ll be donning their Santa hats and reindeer antlers again for the event at Exeter’s Greendale Farm Shop on Sunday, November 29.

Tracey said: “Being part of Jingle Jog is wonderful. The volunteers are fantastic, and there’s a lovely atmosphere with people dressed in festive outfits. Father Christmas is there and there’s lots of support and cheers from everyone.

“As a family, we're committed to ongoing fundraising for Mum. We want to give back to the hospice, so somebody else gets the opportunity to have a bed when they need it. It's what Mum would’ve wanted.”

Event organiser Martin Stokke said: “The first Jingle Jog sold out so potential runners need to book their places quickly. People really embraced the chance to do something fun and different over the festive period.

“One of the best things about Jingle Jog was seeing people of all ages and fitness levels taking part. We’ve also dropped the 10k route, making the event even more accessible.”

This year, there’s a 2k short, flat run around Greendale’s animal pens, or a 5k route, following the weekly parkrun course. Entry fees are from £5 per person and the running starts at 10am.

Funds raised will help the hospice provide compassionate nursing, pain management, at-home care, and bereavement support for people facing life‑limiting illnesses - services offered free of charge to local people in need across Exeter, central and east Devon.

Tracey’s mum, Shirley, was diagnosed with terminal cancer last summer and spent time at the Hospiscare ward in Exeter to manage her pain. 

Tracey said: “The complexities and practicalities of the care required were difficult for Mum and the family so being in the hospice was such a relief. It meant we were able to spend a bit of time with her, which we hadn’t been able to enjoy until then. She was really well looked after.”

Shirley sadly died in October 2025. Before she passed away, Shirley told Tracey, and her brother Trevor, to “make sure you do some fundraising”.

Tracey’s family – ‘Team Shirley’ – were the highest fundraising team last year, and members came first in both the 5k and 10k events. ‘Team Shirley’ ages range from six to 48.

Sign up for this year’s Jingle Jog at hospiscare.co.uk/jingle.

Hospiscare is a local charity providing specialist care for adults with a terminal illness and their families in Exeter, central and east Devon.

With just 24 per cent of the charity’s funding coming from the NHS, Hospiscare relies upon donations from the public to provide expert end-of-life care in the local community.

Hospiscare has five sites: Searle House in Exeter, which has an eight-bed ward, Kings House in Honiton, Holly Tree Place in Tiverton, High View in Exmouth and Spreyton in Okehampton, which provide outpatient services.

The charity also provides care in patients’ homes and community settings, with nursing teams located across the region. 

Hospiscare is also dedicated to providing supportive care for the friends and family of their patients.

The care that Hospiscare provides is funded by donations and incurs no cost for their patients and families.