Whangārei Hash House Harriers donate Red Dress Run funds to Open Arms

Carol Peters, from Helping Hands, with Hash House Harriers' Karen Lee, Nick Connop, Shane Cross and Cyndy Derver. The Harriers gave $1500 to Helping Hands, raised at the annual Red Dress Run.

If you were approached by someone running in a red dress shaking a bucket in central Whangārei before Christmas, rest assured your donation has gone to a good cause.

Those people were members of the Whangārei Hash House Harriers and were taking part in their annual Red Dress Run to fundraise for a local organisation.

Secretary Andrew Bax, who goes by the hash name Hard Drive, said the group ran around the shops in Whangārei on December 15 and collected more than $800.

They decided to add some money from their "own coffers" and presented Open Arms Day Centre with $1500 on Tuesday, with New Zealand Hash House Harriers general manager Shane Cross in attendance.

Bax said they decided to help Open Arms this time because they had "just opened up and needed a bit of money".

Open Arms is a day centre for people who are homeless and anyone in crisis. It is based in the Old Army Hall on the corner of Walton and Robert streets.

Bax said the group try to help smaller organisations with their fundraising. The previous year they donated to the Whangārei Native Bird Recovery Centre.

Hash House Harrier chapters exist in cities and towns all over the world.

Whangārei Hash House Harriers' annual Red Dress Run raised funds for Open Arms. Photo/Supplied

Bax describes the group as "an excuse to get out and have some fun".

Weekly runs are usually 5km to 10km and set by someone different each time.

But it's the social side that makes this group what it is. As well as having hash names, like Knotty Nips, Joy Stick and Toe Jamb to name a few, the group gather for a drink and a meal after their run.

Bax said the chapter meets "every single Tuesday, rain, hail or snow".

Like chapters all over the world, they hold a Red Dress Run once a year to raise funds for a local charity. The Red Dress Run first started in 1988 in California.

If you want to join the Whangārei chapter, search for Whangārei Hash House Harriers on Facebook.