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Santa's sleigh helps raise thousands for charity

Gavin KermackWest Midlands
Droitwich's community Christmas tradition

A charitable organisation which each year arranges for Santa Claus to visit children is hoping it will raise more money than usual this Christmas.

Since 2007, the Droitwich Lions Club has taken Santa out on his sleigh around the streets of the Worcestershire town, spreading festive cheer and collecting money for charities.

The club says it generally raises around £8,000 throughout the month of December, but this year is on track to raise £10,000.

"But it's not all about that," said organiser Dave Sherwin. "It's about bringing Santa to the kids."

A man wearing glasses, a dark beanie hat and a hi-vis tabard over a dark coat and jeans with Christmas lights hanging around his neck stands next to a wooden sleigh. The sleigh is red and decorated with the insignia of Lions Clubs International and a QR code labelled "Scan to donate".
Santa's sleigh is stored in Dave Sherwin's garage when not out on the streets

The sleigh itself has been in service for more than half a century and was originally run by the Round Table, before being taken over by the Lions in 2007.

It goes out most nights in the run-up to Christmas, towed by a support vehicle and blasting out festive songs from a set of speakers.

"I just love seeing the kids, handing out sweets, seeing the families - they're wonderful," said Mr Sherwin. "It's magical when they come out and talk to Santa. You see their little faces glow."

The sleigh from the above picture, lit up with bright white lights around the edge. Santa is sitting in the sleigh and leaning down towards a dog looking up at him from the ground.
As well as sweets for the children, Santa also carries a stash of dog biscuits for four-legged visitors

Santa himself said he loved doing what he could for families in the town.

"It's lovely to see all the children come out onto the street, they can come and tell me have they been good, have they been bad, are they on Santa's naughty or nice list?" he told the BBC.

"At the end of the day not every child gets to see Santa at Christmas, so doing this gives them the opportunity to come and see me."

Among those who came out to meet Santa were 4-year-old Maggie and her mum, Hannah.

A woman wearing a blue coat stands on a dark street smiling at the camera. She is holding a small child wearing a brown coat and a woolly hat who is leaning on her shoulder.
Hannah remembers the tradition from her own childhood and now brings her own children to meet Santa

"It's something that I remember from being a small child growing up in Droitwich, so it's tradition for me," Hannah said. "It really signifies the start of Christmas, so it's lovely for my children to be able to see it now."

"It's rather magical, especially for the little ones," said Rob Buck, who was out with his wife Lucy and their children, Benjamin and Oliver.

"It's good the money goes to charity as well," added Mrs Buck. "It just it brings the community together."

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