The Eye Santa’s sleigh has raised a total of £2,203 for Teenage Cancer Trust and Thorney Food Bank – spreading Christmas cheer to families as it passed through the village this weekend.
Hundreds turned out to see the second annual Eye Santa’s sleigh, with children meeting Santa and his helpers on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening (December 16 – 18).
Organisers of the event said they did not expect to raise the amount of money they did this year given the current rising cost of living, and that it was “heart-warming to see it light up so many children’s and adults faces”.
"Thank you to Sids, The Blue Boar, Co-op and Sharon’s Shack and all that donated in the buckets,” Dale McKean, one of the organisers of the event, said.
"Our chosen charities this year were Teenage Cancer Trust and Thorney Food Bank because of a local whose daughter had cancer as a young teenager. Teenage Cancer Trust has done an amazing job helping her through her dreaded time.
"Thorney Food Bank was a change towards the end due to the current climate we decided to help this local cause that can hopefully help feed local families that need it the most at the moment.
“Over the past two years of doing this now we have seen a massive community support from all the locals of Eye.
"A massive thank you to all the locals who donated and came out to wave Santa through the streets.”
Also thanked were organisers Ralph Deegan, Emma White, Sam Deegan and Hayden Short; drivers Charlie Rennie and Richard Shackleton, who used their own vehicles and fuel to tow the sleigh; Peterborough and Thorney Volunteer Fire Brigade and all of the volunteers for making it happen.
