December 23, 2021 1.13 pm This story is over 26 months old

Lincoln woman’s adult take on ‘elf on the shelf’ raising cash for charity

Raising money in memory of two special people

A Lincoln woman has dressed up in different outfits for her own adult take on ‘elf on the shelf’, posing in locations around Lincoln, including on a Red Arrows jet, all to raise money for St Barnabas Hospice.

Jayne Denham lost her “love, partner and soulmate” Nigel who sadly died of a rare form of sarcoma cancer in January 2017. Nigel’s mother Margaret died of cancer 18 months later and they both spent their final days with Jayne in the same room at St Barnabas Hospice in Lincoln.

Many charities have struggled due to loss of revenue during the coronavirus pandemic, and Jayne wanted to raise money for St Barnabas Hospice, whilst also lifting people’s spirits.

Jayne enjoyed her time at RAF Coningsby getting to spend time in both The Lancaster and Spitfire.

Staff at Anne Summers loved the idea of Jayne’s fundraiser and let her pose in the window.

Jayne dressed as an elf in Waitrose!

The 56-year-old has been running a campaign called ‘The Naughty Elf on the Shelf’ since December 1, which she describes as “very adult and very tongue in cheek”. So far, including gift aid she has raised £2,534 – make a donation here.

Jayne has appeared dressed as an elf in various locations in and around Lincoln, including on a Red Arrows jet at RAF Scampton, and in The Lancaster and Spitfire at RAF Coningsby, as well as shopping at Waitrose, on Santa’s knee, at Rand Farm, and in the window of Ann Summers.

She has also introduced other characters including a blow-up Mary and Joseph for her own take on the Nativity story – you can follow Jayne’s story here.

Jayne spent time with the animals at Rand Farm.

She also enjoyed going inside Rand Farm’s Winter Wonderland.

Jayne has had a lot of fun in December, whilst raising money for charity.

Jayne, who works as a holistic therapist, told The Lincolnite: “We all deserved a good death when we die and St Barnabas gave that to me and my family. They enable ‘my love, my soulmate, my husband’, and my lovely mother-in-law to have the peaceful, respectful deaths they deserved.

“The public’s reaction to the elf challenge has been incredible. I never know what I’ll doing day-to-day, there has been no planning in this, it’s been great fun.

“I have fancy dress outfits everywhere and have a blow-up man beside me now. It’s all been a labour of love and I have giggled my way through December.”

To add to the fun, Jayne introduced other characters including her own blow-up Mary and Joseph.

One of the blow-up dolls went with Jayne on a trip!

Jayne dressed up as a nun for a trip to Waitrose.

On December 23, Jayne is planning to delivery baby Jesus – in the form of a balloon – after her own Mary and Joseph turned up at her house. She will then round-off the charity challenge with a montage round-up of her elf activities, and hopes to hit £3,000 while the fundraising page is still online.

She said every day has been amazing but the visit to see the Red Arrows was among the best for her as it was “an absolute privilege and an honour” to meet the team and sit on the jet’s wing.

Jayne said she has giggled her way through December.

Jayne has had great fun doing the fundraising challenge.

Jayne has dressed up in a variety of costumes.

She even found time to pose on a tractor!

Jayne getting festive and sitting on Santa’s knee.

Jayne is looking forward to Christmas after a fundraising filled December.

This is not the first time Jayne has raised money for good causes. During the first lockdown she did a virtual 10k, having never run in her life before last year, and she raised around £2,500 for the Brain Tumour Research charity.

Jayne is known for swearing a lot, but she stopped doing so in a comedic way to raise more money for charity in February this year. She raised another £2,600 for Brain Tumour Research in a campaign she called “No F in February” by posting tongue in cheek stories and pictures every day of the month.

See Jayne’s full story with St Barnabas Hospice below:

Donate to Jayne’s fundraiser here