Our Santa collections for 2024 are now completed. Thanks to everybody who came to say hello and for all your generous donations.
Check back as we add to this blog over the coming weeks as we donate funds to our selected charities.
Christmas in Coalville on Saturday 23rd November marked a wet and windy start of our Santa collections for 2024.
We were amazed to see so many people braving the weather to visit the event and to come to say hello to Santa.
Santa was very popular with children .......
Photos shared with permission.
..... and many other visitors too.
Our club members and volunteers had a great time but were very tired at the end of a long day.
Thanks to the generosity of visitors, we started of our 2024 with donations of around £400.
Also at the event, we held a bottle tombola, raising funds for Forest Way School and for Coalville Hospital Activities Fund. The tombola was very popular and also raised around £400.
Not yet in to December and two more events with many happy visitors and kind donations. Friday 30th November saw us at another light switch on, this time a much smaller event in Ibstock, and on Saturday 31st November we were back at the Belvoir Centre in Coalville.
Sunday 1st December (finally in December) took us to Whitwick where we spent most of the day outside the Co-Op with local children visiting Santa in his sleigh and many many people in passing vehicles waving to Santa and his helpers as they passed - thanks to you all.
In the evening we drove around the streets of Whitwick to bring Santa and his sleigh to more local children. This trip also allowed us to stop by KCR Service & MOT Centre to visit Karl and his family, thanking them for their generous donation to the upkeep of our sleigh.
Saturday 7th December brought storm Darragh with high winds and lashing rain. We made the difficult decision to call off our collection at the Belvoir Centre in order to keep Santa and his sleigh warm and safe and to avoid children being out longer than needed in the poor weather.
On Sunday 15th December we completed our annual mobile collection around the Cropston Drive area of Coalville, with many excited children popping out to see Santa and many people donating generously to our collection. As in previous years, we ended the collection with a visit to Jean and her family who kindly provided sherry and mince pies to Santa and all the helpers. Thanks again to Alan for helping to organise this.
Both of our mobile collections were made possible by the support of Emma from Hillside Gundogs K9 Services who provided the towing.
The remainder of our collections went smoothly as we spent lots of time at the Belvoir Centre, where we were joined by Shirley and Steve from Heart Link and by Rebecca and Glynis from Canine Partners, and we even had a visit from one of the Canine Partner dogs with their trainer.
Our final collection of the year was a particularly cold and wet day at the Co-Op in Ibstock which was made worthwhile by the number of visits to Santa, the very generous donations received and the help of the store staff.
As a club, we are busy all year round doing projects and raising money for local charities and other good causes. Please check out our other blog posts and other information.
We are a small but growing club and we rely on friends, family and volunteers to help our members to complete our Santa collection.
We want to thank everybody who has helped us this year including Fran, Sallyann, Trevor, Anthony, Steve, Hayley, Steve, Anthony, Karl, Chris, Matt, Emma, Lorraine, Lucas, Shirley, Steve, Franca, Rebecca and Glynis - we couldn't have done it without you.
Finally, we'd also like to thank North West Leicestershire District Council, The Belvoir Centre and Co-Op for allowing to collect, mydentist and Ministry of Design for providing changing facilities and, once again, Wrights for providing sleigh storage.
About our selected charities
This year the local charities we collected for were Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People, Heart Link Children's Charity and Canine Partners. ​We are sure you will agree with us choosing these local charities as they provide much needed care and support for the local community.Â
Rainbows support every baby, child and young person to fulfil their potential, and help families make the most of every precious moment, while capturing memories and keepsakes to treasure. They’re here for the whole family, offering comfort and compassion during tough times, providing the highest level of professional care until the end, and support after. Simply put, they’re here to brighten short lives, and support families, wherever they are.
Heart Link (East Midlands Children's Heart Care Association) was founded in 1981 as a support organisation for parents and families who had a child with a heart condition. ​They have also been more committed over time to enhancing facilities for young patients and their families, as well as giving much-needed quality medical equipment. ​Their goal has always been to do their utmost to deliver the best service possible. ​​They have raised well over £6 million since 1981, thanks to the wonderful support and generosity of the general public.
​
Canine Partners is a registered charity that transforms the lives of people with physical disabilities by partnering them with assistance dogs and other highly trained dogs. Their amazing dogs bring a greater independence and quality of life to their partners, offering security, companionship, and practical help with everyday household tasks. These life-changing dogs also provide psychological and social benefits including increased independence, confidence, social interaction and self-esteem. They rely on donations and legacies to fund the creation of their life-transforming partnerships.
Комментарии