Jolly well done Newport and villages as Santa's sleigh tour raises more than £9,000 for good causes

Newport Rotary Lite's Santa sleigh has been out over the Christmas period, visiting most neighbourhoods in Newport and nearby villages Edgmond, Lilleshall and Tibberton, as well as the town's Waitrose and Lidl car parks.

Delighted residents have been digging deep for the club, which has raised £9,340 in the largest such fundraiser by the community group.

Over £1,000 of the donations raised came in just one day - when Santa and his helpers were outside Waitrose on December 14.

The tour is an annual occurrence and in previous years the funds raised have gone towards a new Community First Responder vehicle, the X-Ray appeal for a new machine at the Newport Cottage Care Centre, Newport and village schools, 'community cuppa' sessions, a minibus for terminally ill children in Chernobyl, the Newport Foodbank, Ukrainian refugees and local Scouts and Rainbows groups.

Thanking sponsors, volunteers and those came out to support the sleigh, a spokesperson for the club said: "Every penny will be redistributed to local good causes and Rotary projects including Newport First Responders and The Motor Neurone Association.

"It takes a village to raise a child - but it takes the whole community to make a successful sleigh tour.

"Thank you to everyone who participated in the Santa sleigh tour of Newport and surrounding villages."