TV star to lead Santa ride-out for needy kids
A TV presenter is to join dozens of motorcyclists in their pledge to help provide a Christmas to remember for children in need.
Santa Bike has provided festive cheer to children around Burton for the last five years, with a decorated motorbike ridden by Santa and his elves delivering presents to youngsters.
For the last three years, Ticknallbased charity Me & Dee has benefited from the present push, supporting people who live with terminal illness and life-limiting conditions.
However, as Covid struck last year, the Santa Bike team decided to organise two large runs to cover as many families as possible in one night. They attracted more than 50 bikers to help out.
This year, the team is heading out next month to support Derek’s Tree, which provides Christmas presents to children in need.
They will be headed by TV’S Ashley Blake – the Crimewatch, Midlands Today and Inside Out presenter – as they tour around Burton and Stapenhill to collect Christmas presents.
A spokeswoman for the team said: “For the last five years, we have decorated the motorbike up at Christmas and dressed as Santa and his elf to deliver Christmas to local people.
“We never had any kind of Facebook page, and never told anyone that it was us that was doing it. It was just a nice surprise for people when Santa came reviving at their doors. We’ve visited lots of families over those years.
“Three years ago, we were contacted by Maria Hanson, who asked if we could help Me&dee. We joined forces with Me&dee to deliver Christmas to the families that she supports who live with terminal illnesses and life limiting conditions.
“We’ve met so many special families since doing this. It’s always just been my family that did this up until last year. When Covid hit, it hit Me&dee hard, because Maria wasn’t able to provide the holidays to the families that needed support.
“(We) decided to open up the event and organise two big runs to cover as many families as we could in one night. We asked on Facebook if anybody could help us and to our utter disbelief, we had almost 50 bikes come to join us. We escorted Maria to her families and helped to make some amazing memories during such difficult and uncertain times. We also raised a whopping £2,700 for
Me&dee in the process.
“I decided three weeks ago that I wanted to help Derek’s Tree also this year. Following Covid, all charities have found it so much harder to do their work and that’s where the biker community really do rally round to make magical things happen.”
The Grove, in Stapenhill, has offered the use of its car park for the meet and the promise of hot drinks and food on the day of the ride.
It will also be a community drop-off point for people who want to donate toys.
Santa Bike has also confirmed that Ashley Blake will be leading the ride on December 11. It will travel around Burton, surrounding areas and Swadlincote collecting toys.
People are asked to get out on the streets on the day of the ride and bring a gift for Derek’s Tree, new and in a bag so it can be handed to riders as they pass slowly along the route, which will be announced closer to the time.
If anyone wants more information on the areas being covered and they want to get involved, Santa Bike can be found on Facebook at @santabike2020