Newly-reformed Oswestry Round Table organising Father Christmas tour
A festive tradition that was cancelled at short notice will go ahead in some form.
The newly-reformed Oswestry Round Table says it will organise the Father Christmas tour around housing estates in the town and surrounding villages.
The visits, organised by the Royal Antediluvian Order of the Buffaloes' Tavern Rawlinson Lodge, had been called off "due to unforeseen circumstances". The visits have become a festive tradition in the area, having taken place over the past decade. They see Father Christmas ride his way around the area on a sleigh joined by his reindeers and other volunteers.
Now Oswestry Round Table has said it will take over the visits. Paul Bousfield, chairman of Oswestry Round Table, said the town being without its much-loved festive tradition would be a "disaster".
He said: "We're delighted that the tours will be going ahead, somebody had to ensure it went ahead and it's something that the Round Table does in other areas, so we thought we'd step in.
"The cancellation came at short notice and some groups simply don't have enough people to get involved, so we're happy to.
"As this year it will be our first time, and it's at such short notice, there will only be a couple of dates at the town's supermarkets but next year we're hoping to do it bigger and better. We can't wait." Mr Bousfield said the group will meet on Wednesday to hopefully finalise where and when the visits will be happening.
Over the years the tour has raised more than £32,000 for local causes thanks to donations, which have gone towards causes including the Derwen College, the Guide Dogs and Macmillan Cancer Support. Last week Mayor of Oswestry Councillor Paul Milner said the news that the tours had been called off was a "sad blow" for the community.
