Santa Claus is coming to town ... Look out , the man in red is coming to a road near you events
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Santa ' s on his way
Santa Claus is coming to town ... Look out , the man in red is coming to a road near you events
Photo courtesy of Simon Baker
It was in 2015 that Winchester Round Table members Simon Baker and Steve Cross first came up with a fundraising idea that would take Santa to the streets of Winchester . But this wasn ’ t just to be a walkabout .
Santa would need a sleigh – a sleigh that would not only cover ground but be roadworthy . It would also need to be slow enough to keep Santa and his elves safe , yet robust enough to take on Winchester ’ s hills . “ They settled on the idea of converting a milk float ,” says this year ’ s sleigh chief Tim Baker . “ After looking all over the country , they found a retired float in Leicester which was donated by Kirby & West Dairy .”
Registered in 1960 , the electric vehicle was not in the prime of its life but , exempt from MoT requirements , it had promise , and a team of helpers with some extra manpower from Hampshire Fire Service slowly but surely transformed it into a sleigh , complete with prancing reindeer .
By Christmas 2015 , the sleigh was ready . “ From the outset we had a fantastic response ,” says Tim . “ People came out into the streets to cheer on Santa as we went . The donations we received along the way went straight to local charities .
“ Since then , Santa ’ s sleigh has become a Winchester tradition . We have established routes right across the city ,” says Tim . “ Last year we hit £ 10,000 in donations . All of the money goes to local good causes .”
This year , as in the past , Santa and Mary Christmas will ride the sleigh across Winchester for the Christmas period , accompanied by fundraising elves . “ Santa and his elves are currently building a new generation of sleigh which will give longevity to Winchester ’ s community and provide Christmas joy for many years to come ,” says Tim . “ This will provide Santa with a more reliable sleigh to use and allow him to travel further than ever before . We have a fantastic team who go out in all weathers to make it happen each year .”
December routes and dates are available online , with Santa and the sleigh also making a special trip to the city lights switch-on in November . “ Christmas is a great time of year for bringing communities together ,” says Tim . “ People come out of their houses and watch Santa go by together . The tradition has become a much-loved part of the festive season for many locals . Seeing children with their mouths wide open in wonder as the sleigh glides down their street is what the magic of Christmas is all about . We are truly proud to be part of Santa ' s journey through Winchester and the support that he receives from all the families and children of Winchester .”
www . winchestersantasleigh . co . uk
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