Santa’s sleigh helps to raise money for hospital appeal

Santa’s Sleigh touring round the streets of Long Melford has helped to raise funds for a children’s hospital appeal.

A total of £350.30 was raised by Pip Cook and her team of willing helpers following their journey round the village just a couple of days before Christmas.

The money has been donated to the West Suffolk Hospital’s My WiSH charity with it being directed towards the WiSH Upon A Star appeal which aims to enhance the care for children visiting the hospital in Bury St Edmunds.

Pip, who helped create the sleigh run along with Becky Gridley five years ago, was supported by a host of family, friends and children who now attend Thomas Gainsborough School and who previously were pupils at Long Melford Primary School.

Their tour took place on December 23, a week later than planned owing to the bad weather.

But Pip said the team were “thrilled” with the amount of money they raised.

She said: “This is the fifth year that we have done it and we thought that we would raise the money this year for a children’s charity.

“There’s some wonderful people around in Long Melford and they just threw their money into the buckets.”

Gary Aitken dressed up as Father Christmas and Pip said he knows many youngsters in the village and shouted out their names on the journey with left some people on the route “dumfounded”.

Costumes for those on the sleigh, which was built by Pip’s husband Gerald, were provided by her daughter Holly Cook who operates the Beau and Arrows, a children’s entertainments business.

Pip added: “We were meant to do the tour the week before Christmas but the weather was so bad so we had to get the message out that we would be coming later. People just came out of their houses and waited for us.

“The reaction from people was just so lovely and it helped to make our Christmas.

“They were so kind and were grateful to see us and, given the cost of living crisis, they were so generous. We were thrilled with the amount of money we collected. It’s the most we have ever taken”.

Sally Daniels, fundraising manger, said “It was great to pop along and meet Pip and her family and friends. This event takes a lot of work at a busy time of year but the joy it brings to the community is just fantastic. The money raised allows us to enhance the care of young patients, not only at the West Suffolk Hospital, but in health centres and in their homes right across the county. It really does make such a difference.”