With his high-tech and greener sleigh thanks to Putney Rotary

Continuing a tradition of over 40 years, the volunteers from the Rotary Club of Putney will once again bring Father Christmas and his sleigh to the streets of West Putney in December 2017. The team will going door to door to collect donations, and residents can come out and see the sleigh with Father Christmas on board - look out for the flashing lights and listen for the Christmas music!

We will be out collecting between 6-9pm on the following nights*:
• Mon 11 Dec 2017 (roads between the River and Felsham)
• Wed 13 Dec 2017 (roads between Felsham and the Upper Richmond)
• Tue 19 Dec 2017 (roads between Upper Richmond and Hazlewell)
• Thu 21 Dec 2017 (roads between Hazlewell and Westleigh)

This year the sleigh has been refurbished and now features the following enhancements:
• A pair of new QTX rechargeable speakers means we no longer need a noisy generator nor diesel
• The Christmas lights have been completely replaced with low energy LED lights
• For the first time, we’ll be able to take contactless payments for donations - using a SumUp mobile Bluetooth payment device
• On one of our evenings Wandsworth Mayor Cllr. Leslie McDonnell will be making a special appearance as Father Christmas!

The Christmas Collection nights are the biggest fundraiser of the year for the club and the funds raised mean the club can support local and international causes. Funds raised last year contributed to the Defibrillator installed at the Putney Exchange centre, and for fitness equipment provided to the local Salvation Army. The club also contributed to the Rotary Foundation to support the “End Polio Now” initiative.

Our members recall stories of residents coming out with flower pots of small change collected throughout the year in anticipation of our collection; and parents bringing out their young children to see Father Christmas - when they remember seeing the Rotary Christmas Float with their parents as youngsters decades before! This year the community can get a selfie with the sleigh and share with hashtag #PutneyRotary

Putney Rotary Club President Barry Rowe remarks: “We would like to thank our local Putney community - who have been supporting our popular Father Christmas float collections over the years - it’s great fun, and a great fundraiser”

The planned route* is detailed online.

* These are the planned nights and routes, but operation of the sleigh is subject to weather conditions and safety advice from the police and other authorities

December 7, 2017