Santa cashes in to aid York communities

Details of the RYA Santa Sleigh in York and area in the run-up to Christmas 2023

Financial results of the Santa Sleigh visits in York and area in the run-up to Christmas 2023

Santa cashes in to aid many York communities

Main web page image and text is © Stewart Gilbert - All Rights are Reserved.

Thanks to the generosity of York residents, Rotary York Ainsty's Santa with his Sleigh had a near record-breaking year in the month leading up to Christmas (2023).

Working in partnership with, and for, local charites, the Ainsty Rotarians and 'Elf' assistants started their York travels with Santa in Poppleton on December 1, then throughout December they journeyed around York and district bringing the Christmas message to the various communities.

As well as providing all an opportunity to meet Santa, the initiative is a fund-raiser and every vear many thousands of pounds are collected and donated to charities both near and far (list below). In December 2023, more than £10,000 (£9481.15 + Gift Aid where appropriate) was generated by the project.

1,500 youngsters engaged

During the three weeks of the Santa Sleigh initiative, Rotarians engaged with more than 1,500 children, who approached Santa on his travels - a great outcome.

And, following the success of earlier years, certain locations and collections were dedicated to, and run by, specific local charities - in partnership with Rotary York Ainsty. The charities provided Santa and the collection 'elves'.

A further positive aspect of the Santa Sleigh project in York has been the anaylsis of the volunteer hours involved... In total, more than 200 people (Rotarians and other volunteers) were involved within the project of more than 24 individual events during the three weeks of collection activity. This included 80 hours of planning to give a 'grand' total of 730 volunteer hours. Organisers rated this as a 'fantastic achievement of implementation'.

Among the Rotary supported charities that will benefit from the generosity of the people living and shopping in the areas around York are: (NET DONATIONS are in brackets)

> Vale of York Academy (Poppleton Park) - (£305.00)

> Age UK (Beckfield Lane West) - (£378.00)

> St Leonards Hospice (Middlethorpe) - (£715.40)

> Door 84 Center for Youth (Nether Poppleton) - (£397.00)

> Wilberforce Trust (Beckfield Lane East) - (£472.75)

> York Mind - Good Gym (Woodthorpe 1) - (£534.92)

> Copmanthorpe Scouts (Copmanthorpe 1) - (£304.00)

> Manor Academy (Upper Poppleton) - (£642.10)

Rotary York Ainsty members 'manned' the sleigh and supplied Santa and Elves in the following locations (note - some of these were 'static'):

> Acomb, Front Street - (£338.00)

> The Revival and The Square - (£272.81)

> Tesco Askham Bar - (£387.98)

> Woodthorpe 2 - (£47.61 - Rain affected collection)

> Morrisons, Foss Islands, York - (£470.95)

> Bishopthorpe 1 - (£486.83)

> Morrisons, Acomb - (£534.79)

> ASDA Monks Cross - (£460.75)

> Copmanthorpe 2 - (£657.74)

> Bishopthorpe 2 - (£655.97)

> Tesco Clifton Moor - (£814.06)

NOTE: All figures are sublect to ratification and may change - they include payments made electronically at the particular collection site, where known.

In addition, miscellaneous collections and donations totalled £604.49.

Rotary York Ainsty president, Colin Perrott said: "This year's collection by Rotary York Ainsty has gone beyond the expectations we had at a time when there are many financial restrictions on those in the communities in which we operate. We as an organisation and our 'partners' were overwhelmed by the welcome we received, from adults and children alike.

We give a very special thanks to York City Council, Morrison's Supermarket, at both Acomb and Foss Island, ASDA at Monks Cross and to Tesco at Askham Bar and Clifton Moor for permitting us to collect in their localities + the many other locations that welcome the Sleigh each December - raising monies for the many and various charities at home and further afield that Rotary York Ainsty supports.

"If readers are interested learning more about Rotary and its projects or in helping out / using their skills and talents on any of our community projects, they should contact President 2023-24 Colin Perrott on 01904 704634‬ (H), ‭01904 784040‬ (B), ‭07903 467792‬ (M) or e-mail: perrott.c@gmail.com or club secretary 2023-24 Richard Orr ‭07500 878998‬, e-mail: orr239.rotary@gmail.com

NOTE TO EDITORS:

Rotary York Ainsty is a constituent part of Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland (RIBI) within Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire - Rotary District1040.

RIBI is a membership organisation where members use their talents and time to improve the lives of those less fortunate, both at home or abroad, while building friendships and ‘having fun’ in the process. Great Britain and Ireland are served by 1,800 Rotary clubs and around 50,000 members.

Rotary International was founded in 1905 in Chicago and is now the world’s largest membership and international service organisation with more than 1.2 million members. There are clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas across the globe.

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