Peterborough Lions Carol Float
IMPORTANT UPDATE
Due to the new COVID Tier 4 restrictions which come into effect from Sunday 20th December, we have no choice but to cancel all further Santa sleigh outings for 2020.
Santa himself will, of-course, still be coming to visit you on Christmas Eve while you are asleep, so it’s more important than ever to be good until then!
For more information see this update.
Every year, Santa joins Peterborough Lions for some cheerful seasonal songs and to collect money for our funds to support local causes.
You can find Santa outside supermarkets in the Peterborough area in December. And in recent years Santa has been taking his sleigh out around Peterborough houses to bring good cheer to you without you leaving home to find him!
2020 – the year that everything seems different, but some thing stay the same. Santa still wants to come and see you, and Peterborough Lions Club still want to help make that happen. But it won’t be business as usual…
To protect you, us, Santa and all the children Santa will be visiting on Christmas Eve, sadly photos with Santa will have to wait until next year, and you’ll have to trust Santa’s magic powers to know what you want for Christmas – or you can drop a note into our collection buckets if you wish and Santa will read them all before Christmas), or even better drop him an email (see below). Santa can’t give out sweets but will add them to your stockings if you’ve been good!
STATIC FLOATS
Normally you’ll find us outside various supermarkets in the run up to Christmas. COVID makes that harder for us to organise and harder for the supermarkets to find space for us. We’ll be further from the store entrance than usual, and relying on battery power rather than a mains hook-up, so we may have no choice but to finish earlier than planned.
MOBILE FLOATS
Our trips around Peterborough streets with Santa are well received and a highlight of our year, as well as being one of our biggest fundraisers.
We are working hard to make sure that we can bring Santa to you where we can (even though we won’t be able to fundraise), but we are still waiting on the insurance and authorisation to proceed – watch this space, or follow us on Facebook!
We will be out again this year – Santa insisted! – but with limitations: Santa and his driver can only have 4 helpers so we cannot knock on doors and collect money, and Santa cannot stop to talk to anyone, have photos, or give out sweets. He promises that this is so he can be sure to see everyone while they are sleeping on Christmas Eve, and that he’ll make sure you don’t miss out on treats.
As we cannot collect, this year is all about spreading good cheer, so please do wave from your windows and sing along as we pass. If you do come out on the street please remember to social distance and don’t be too disappointed that we can’t stop to chat.
We will follow the routes of previous years but we will not be sharing exact start timings ahead of time so as to reduce the risk of crowds gathering. You will be able to track Santa on the night via our Facebook Page, technology permitting!
As we cannot stop we would expect to operate the routes faster than usual; typically 6pm-8pm for Orton Wistow and Stanground, 5pm-7pm for Netherton as it’s on a Sunday.
REMEMBER
- No close contact with Santa can be allowed. This upsets Santa too, but he insists that we keep everyone safe.
- No close contact with Santa’s helpers either, although this will obviously upset far fewer people!
- For mobile floats, we will not be able to stop, nor can we knock on doors.
- We are limited to socially distanced teams of six including Santa. Please make allowances for this, we’re trying as hard as we can!
FUNDRAISING
Our fundraising efforts for local causes, including this year’s President’s Project supporting Peterborough Rape Crisis Care Group, continues but is severely hampered by COVID. We welcome all donations (or why not get yourself a quiz sheet?)
YOU CAN STILL SAY HELLO TO SANTA!
If you email we’ll make sure your email is passed on to Santa. So if you have any questions, or want to tell him what you want for Christmas, or just want to say “Hi”, drop him a line!
The dates and locations for static floats are:
- Saturday/Sunday 12th/13th December: Sainsbury’s, Bretton
- Saturday/
Sunday19th/20thDecember: Sainsbury’s, Bretton
The dates and locations for mobile floats to follow when we have confirmation they can proceed.
- Friday 18th December: Orton Wistow
- Sunday 20th December: Netherton
- Wednesday 23rd December: Stanground
Mobile routes are as follows, but are subject to change depending on weather, roadworks, and other things outside Santa’s control. We normally aim to set off around 6pm and to finish around 8pm (and no later than 9pm), but due to COVID restrictions will be starting earlier this year, see above.
Orton Wistow:
Starting from Svenskaby, then take in as many of the following as time allow:
- Svenskaby
- Ashleigh
- Lyndale Park
- The Rookery
- Whitewater
- Wyndham Park
- Farleigh Fields / Shearwater
- Ferryview
- Glendale
- Borthwick Park
- Five Arches
Stanground:
- Start on Romany Gardens
- Head left onto Southfields Ave, and right onto Southfields Drive
- At Co-Op turn left onto Lawson Ave
- Turn right onto Coneygree Road
- Turn right onto Kingston Drive, then right again onto Southfields Ave
- Turn left onto Romany Gardens
- Cross Whittlesey Road to turn onto Central Square
- Turn left onto Desborough Ave, right onto Poulter Ave, and left onto Oakdale Ave
- Near the end of Oakdale Ave turn left onto Allan Ave
- Finally turn right onto Wright Ave, ending at Whittlesey Road
Netherton:
- Start at top of Atherstone Avenue near St Jude’s Church
- Turn left into Meynell walk, then follow it before turning left back to Atherstone Avenue
- Follow Atherstone Avenue onto Ledbury Road
- Turn right into Tiverton Road, then right into Berkley Road, left into Morpeth Road, left into Grafton Avenue, and right onto Berkley Road again
- Turn right into Thorpe Park Road
- Turn right into Audley Gate
- Turn left back into Ledbury Road then left into Bradwell Road
As always we are extremely grateful to everyone who comes and says hello, and who helps us raise money for local projects. We look forward to seeing you soon!