SANTA will soon be bringing joy to children and adults aboard his sleigh thanks to the Chippenham Lions.

Volunteers from the club came together to build and decorate the sleigh which will visit families in Corsham and Chippenham while raising money for charity.

More than £10,000 was raised last year while festive joy was spread throughout the towns as Santa goes on his annual tour.

Jim Dutch, a member of the Chippenham Lions for 25 years and one of the organisers of the event, said: “It took us about nine hours to build it but there was quite a bit of preparation work that went into it.

“We’ve been doing this for years, I think the sleigh has probably been going for 35 years because it was there before I joined.

“I think people do get excited, I’ve heard it said that they don’t think it’s Christmas until they see the Lions’ float. It’s very much become a tradition.

“There’s a Christmas grotto which is something we have built ourselves and there are illuminations and Christmas tree lights.

“We set a route for the night and knock on doors collecting, and the children can come up to the sled and have a chat to Santa.

“It’s a wonderful thing to do, it’s a great money spinner and every penny gets passed on to charity.”

Lackham College have donated the trailer and tractor, which will start off in Corsham on Thursday (December 1), before it visits Chippenham from next Wednesday (December 7).

The full list of destinations is as follows:

Corsham

December 1 Prospect

December 2 Corsham Lights Switch-on

December 3 Beechfield/Priory Rd

December 5 Rudloe

December 6 Katherine Park

Chippenham

December 7 Derriards

December 8 Sheldon/Audley

December 9 Monkton Park

December 12 Queens Crescent

December 13 Pewsham/Webbington Rd

December 14 Cepen Park North

December 15 Pewsham/Lodge Rd

December 16 London Road

December 17 Cepen Park South

December 19 Yewstock

December 20 Lords Mead

December 21 Lowden

December 22 Greenway Lane