Oswestry Cambrian Rotary Club have completed their fourth Santa street run, raising a magnificent £4,600.

Mike Lade from Oswestry Cambrian Rotary Club said, “Now that we are a fully registered Charity, that figure can be enhanced by Gift Aid. This money can now to be distributed around our local groups and other Rotary supported charities and projects. The collection is far less than last year of course with the pandemic but much more than we had expected in these very difficult times for everyone but is due to the generosity of our residents”.

“Special thanks to the following: Traditional Products for allowing us to store our Sleigh on their premises and Mikes Bike’s for the maintenance on the Sleigh.  Wynnstay Hotel and Winston Farm for their sponsorship of the maintenance of the Sleigh. B&M Bargains, Rachel and team at Morrison’s, Stans at St Martins, Clarks Shoe Shop, David Clough at Oswestry Town Council, Nikki Kelly at the licensing office.  Vicki Evans and “Girls on the Run”, Whittington Together, Whittington Castle, Whittington and Oswestry Farmers Group, Mike Perry & Lucy at West Felton, Karen Roberts and the Gobowen Team. Without your help our drive-bys in the villages would not have been possible”.

President Robin Brown said, “Santa was greeted with warm smiles on the street rounds and static sites and seeing the faces of the children was wonderful. With the year we have all had, our club decided we just had to do a Covid Safe Santa run to give some air of normality to herald in the Festive season”.

Just a few statistics from the 2020 collection.

375 hours were spent as Santa, driving the sleigh, as marshals and dealing with the money.

More than 135 hours were spent by Rotarians preparing the sleigh and other ancillary work and admin to get it to happen.

The sleigh travelled 170 miles around Oswestry, Morda, Gobowen, St Martins, Whittington and Park Hall.

If anyone is interested in getting involved with Oswestry Cambrian Rotary, we are always ready to welcome men and women of 18+ from the local community who want to be “people of action”.  The club meets informally and without a meal at The Wynnstay Hotel, Church Street, Oswestry on Thursday evenings at 7.45pm. For more information please go along to hear what their new style of Rotary has to offer or contact Mike Lade on 01691 570917, info@oswestrycambrianrc.co.uk or see www.oswestrycambrianrc.co.uk.