Ho ho ho!

I'm a firm believer in the credo of fun, but if you asked me whether my definition of fun would include being stood dressed as Santa with a couple of thousand other people dressed as Santa in a park in mid Wales in near freezing conditions early on a Sunday morning in December whilst being subjected to Jive Bunny records, I'd have said, "Are you a few baubles short of a Christmas tree?"

However, last weekend I expanded my definition of fun to include such activities. For I found myself taking part in the 2003 Santa Run, a fundraising event which has taken place in Newtown each year since 2001, and the standing around being subjected to Jive Bunny was required before the run got underway. Although the organisers are still waiting for confirmation, they're hoping that this year's event has broken three different world records for large-scale Santa gatherings. It was also good to see local Lib Dem MP and all-round good egg Lembit Opik lending his support and taking the time to chat to constituents on the way round - who needs a "Big Conversation" when you can have lots of little one-on-one ones with the people who've given you the right to represent them?

For me and my associates, the 4.5 mile "run" around the town was more of a gentle gambol in the sunshine which included a swift half of lager in a pub en route, and perhaps even better than the run itself was the ten hours of boozing that ensued in the town's many hostelries. The sight of hundreds of Santas staggering around in a drunken daze must play havoc with the imaginations of the local kids - I don't envy the parents having to explain it all, and assuage any fears that Santa has multiplied and descended into alcoholism.

Even if it turns out that the records haven't been smashed, it was a great day and has benefitted one severely underfunded local charity, Dial-A-Ride, and several hundred others to the tune of over £100,000. Next year's event promises to be even bigger and better.