Donations to groups who help Santa sleigh

A South Holland charity organisation has raised more than £230,000 with its annual sleigh event.

The town’s Rotary Club hit the road in December to take Santa on a tour of the area.

And members were helped by a total of 14 organisations this year.

Representatives were invited to join the Rotary members for a meal and to receive a cheque as a result of their efforts.

“During the 30 years the sleigh has been operated by the Rotary Club of South Holland we have collected and distributed in excess of £230,000, predominantly locally, but also nationally and internationally,” said Steve Colby, a past president.

“We are delighted to thank those groups of volunteers for their valuable assistance. Without them, our Santa and his sleigh might not be able to visit the streets of Spalding during the Christmas period,” he added.

The December 2017 tour raised a grand total of £11,604 which was donated when it made its way around the district ahead of Christmas.

Aside from the organisations which helped this year, other good causes will also benefit from the sleigh events before the end of the Rotary year in June.

The organisation has worked for the last 30 years to eradicate polio from the world and it has nearly accomplished.

In 122 countries around 2.5 billion children have been immunised.