Santa's socially distanced sleigh ride
Santa will start his annual sleigh ride through the streets of Oswestry and surrounding villages tomorrow but his visit will be a little different this year.
The Oswestry Cambrian Rotary Club which helps Father Christmas says coronavirus restrictions will mean that children will not be able to have their photos taken with him and that people congregating to see the sleigh be discouraged.
The nightly route, in either Oswestry, St Martins, Gobowen, West Felton, Whittington or Park Hall will be posted on the club's Oswestry Santa Sleigh facebook page.
Spokesman, Mike Lade, said: "The children will definitely get a wave but it will be far from what we have managed in the past due to the pandemic and the need to protect Santa, our members and the public.
"This year Santa and the sleigh will not be stopping in the evenings when we tour the streets because it would be irresponsible of us to risk attracting crowds of adults and children on street corners like we have done before. There will also not be any chance to have your photo taken with Santa.
"We will have our music playing so hopefully you will hear the sleigh in your area. This year we won't be knocking on doors to collect money either. Instead, we are asking for parents and children to meet a “socially distanced” Santa in the Sleigh at our static sites to take their photos where donation buckets will be available.
"Sadly, we are accepting that money collected this year will be far far less than collected in the past so we will not be able to support the groups and organisations in the town as we would like.
"We will have a JustGiving page available from our club's website justgiving.com/rotary-oswestrycambrian and a text number for people to be able to donate to the Santa collection."
