Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Sleigh was packed with super pressies
Volunteers were helping Santa deliver to groups
Santa’s sleigh was fully loaded on its latest travels around Monklands.
Volunteers from good cause XACT, who run the popular festive event, used part of this weekend’s tour to help deliver some of the hundreds of donations to this year’s Advertiser toy appeal to grateful recipients from Monklands women’s aid.
They also handed over selection boxes to Craigneuk and Petersburn Action for Kids; and will be donating hundreds more sweet treats to local good causes over the festive season.
XACT treasurer Alan Hendry said: “Thanks to local people’s kind generosity, we have been able to support Monklands women’s aid with toys from the Advertiser appeal and a substantial donation of £1000.
“In addition, our friends at Round Table Gibraltar 41 club have kindly donated £150 to this very worthy cause.”
He added: “The stresses of Christmas often bring to a head already strained relationships leading to women and often young children leaving their home with virtually nothing.
“Monklands women’s aid offers invaluable support to these families and we are delighted to build on previous years’ donations at a time where this support is most stretched.”
Four more sleigh dates remain on this year’s XACT Santa tour; with the first being a trip to Carnbroe tomorrow (Thursday).
The remaining routes are – Sunday: Tesco Airdrie (3.10pm3.45pm), Ayr Drive, Monklands estate, Chapelhall; Tuesday: Inverlochy Road, Ewart Drive and Cromarty Road estates; Thursday, December 20: Old Rushes estate, Ferguson Way and Linkwood Road estate.
XACT also have a Santa tracking link at http://Glympse. com/!RoundTableSanta for their sleigh tour times.
Group member Gary Millar said: “We’d like to thank everyone who has been to see the sleigh so far – it’s been fantastically well received as always.
“We’re limited by the number of volunteers, the weather, road conditions, traffic & amp; pedestrian concerns and the time available so please keep up to date on Facebook for any changes – search for XACTSanta.
“If Santa and his sleigh can’t make it to your street, we’d love to see you at an area nearby or our static locations on Sunday when you can pop along to say hello to Santa.
“We’d like to say a huge thanks to Fleetbid who have supported our sleigh collections by providing a van and volunteer driver, and also for their assistance with the toy appeal, which we’re proud to be supporting again this year.”