CHRISTMAS is a time for giving - except in Copeland where every day is a time for giving.

I have banged on about the amazing way people in this area react to tragedy and heartbreak by raising money and awareness of causes when most people would be curled up in a corner rocking to and fro and pushing the world away.

It seems, from these pictures, that the secret to fundraising is to make it fun.

I wonder how many kisses Jayne Laine got and how much she earned for the Whitehaven Youth Trust.

Just as an aside, this was meant to be a Christmas-free space until next week but, as this photo shows, Santa - or at least his hat - keeps popping up anyway.

It is also interesting to note that our Marathon-a-Day man has been making a name for himself as far back as the London Olympics.

Gary McKee has been pushing himself to the limits to raise money for good causes. I am sure it starts out as fun, but I bet he is looking forward to hanging up his running shoes and flopping onto the couch on Christmas Day.

The reason he gets a mention now is that we came across the photo  showing he was one of the torch bearers prior to the 2012 London Olympics. In this photo he is showing the torch to children at the Cleator Moor nursery.

Of course, we have to give a little credit to ourselves when, in 2010, reporter Gill Ellison presented the Rosehill Youth Theatre with £500, on behalf of the Whitehaven News Charitable Trust.

Coast to coast walks, bikes and even a combination of walking and taking the bus are just some of the things people have done for charity.

There have been discos and quizzes and runs and walks and concerts.

People dressed as Santa, as superheroes, as gangster, fairies and much more  riaise money - and only in this country would people sit in a bath of cold baked beans for charity.

With the cost of living rises this year, we advise that nobody does that this year. Too much waste of good food.

Anyway, congratulations to all you fundraisers and we will be back with Christmas next week.

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