Tettenhall Rotary Club Santa Sleigh raises more than £9,000 ready to distribute to local charities in Wolverhampton

The Tettenhall Rotary Club have had yet another successful year out on Santa's sleigh, raising £9.301.52 which they are currently splitting up to send to local charities in Wolverhampton, proving yet again why the City's community is second to none. 

Wrapped up in warm gear and armed with buckets, bells and sweets, the club braved torrential rain and Icey winds to make sure children had a Christmas to remember, introducing them to Santa Clause and dishing out sweet treats to every child that wanted to speak to him. 

Bringing the big guy to the City's light switch-on and countless neighbourhoods in Tettenhall, Bantock Park and Bilbrook, the Rotary Club has been raising money for kids across the city for two decades, with 2024 being the 20th anniversary of their charity work. 

They also travelled round the houses at Claregate, Fordhouses, Low Hill, the Scotlands and Bushbury - and even spent time in St Marks Sainsburys. 

Speaking on the impressive total, the club's former chairman, Roger Timbrell, who was at the helm when the Santa Sleigh event was first introduced, said: "There's always two reasons to do the sleigh, one is the good causes, but the most important one is to bring some magic to the kids, it's more about community service than fundraising. You really can't put a price on the joy we see on the kid's faces. 

"We really enjoy doing it every year as well, it's brilliant to see all the families and it gives the Rotarians a chance to come together and spend time with each other during the festive period. 

"In terms of the the work itself, it's very gratifying to give the money away. We like to give smaller donations to lots of different charities because a £500 gift to a food bank or a smaller charity goes a long way, we don't tend to give huge amounts to just a few places."

The Rotarians are clear on making sure they put each areas donations back into the same local area's needs. 

An example is the Scotlands Estate, which has a local community centre called The Big Venture close-by.

The centre has a food bank and teaches locals how to cook meals on a budget -  and a portion of the money raised will be given to it. 

Roger, said: "We want people to see the result of their donation so we make sure to support the places that are next-door to them."

The money raised came from hard-working families across the city, and even in the difficult financial pinch that most of the country is feeling right now, residents showed that caring for each other is still at the heart of Wolverhampton. 

Roger, said: "We are so grateful to everyone that has donated, we do it on behalf of the charities, and we're thankful for the support. 

"And the real reward for us is in the community service,  generating good will and magic for the children in out city."