Royston & District Santa Run 2017: Where will Father Christmas be stopping off this time?

Mantles operation directior John Roberts, second right, handing over keys to 'Santa's sleigh' to Round Table's chair Mark Parish, flanked by Round Table's Simon Owen and Adam Watkins. (Image: Archant)

Round Table has been doing the run – where Santa drops by on his float pulled by his ‘sleigh’ – every year since the association started in the area in 1959.

This year’s run started on Tuesday and continues through to December 23.

Group member Richard Tydeman told the Crow: “Every year it’s been succesful – often due to partnerships with other community organsiations such as the scouts and Parkfit.

“I think if we stopped doing it we’d soon be told by the community to start it again! The kids absolutely love having pictures with Santa and the volunteers.”

Royston & District Round Table members Nico Proisy and Richard Tydeman with helpers collecting last year at Tesco. Picture: Courtesy of Richard Tydeman (Image: Archant)

Volunteers always have collection buckets en route to raise money to go towards good causes throughout the year, and for 2017 Santa has gone a step further to get with the times.

“Santa has gone contactless!” said Richard.

“We realised that between us, not many of us have that jingle of change in our pockets that we used to. In order to keep up the charitable work that we do, we needed to be able to allow people to donate easier – so this year, people can pay us via paypal and contactless.

“The best part is that 100 per cent of donations are used for local charitable causes, and we are always interested in hearing about new ones.”

Richard is a dab-hand at taking part in Round Table events, having been first introduced to the institution – whose membership is open to men aged 18 to 45 – when a member taught him to DJ he was 16.

He said: “A few years later I moved to Melbourn, and went to my first table meeting – the rest is history.

“I believe the key to its sucess is the mix of giving back to communities and that each member becomes family very quickly.

“With such a great mix of people we learn a lot from each other and with national round table events such as pudsey collection – where this year we collected £723.37 – we certainly keep busy.

To find out more email yit@roystonroundtable.co.uk and go to santa.roystonroundtable.co.uk to track him in real time en route.

Here are the dates, times, and stops where you can see Santa:

Thursday, December 7, from 6pm: Great Chishill and Barley

• Great Chishill St Swithin’s Church Heydon Rd – Hall Lane – Plaistow Way – Hall Lane – Walkers Close – Colts Croft – Barley Church End – High Street – Picknage Rd – via Church End to London Rd – Greenbury Close – The Mount

Saturday, December 9, from 4.30pm: Litlington and Abington Pigotts

• Royston Road (opposite Cherry Tree Close) – Royston Road – Cockhall Close – Anvil Avenue – The Crown pub – Church Street – Silver Street – Meeting Lane – Chapel Close - Abbotts Close – Bassingbourn Road – New Close - South Street – Abington Pigotts High Street – The Pig and Abbot pub – Church Street – High Street

Sunday, December 10, from 5pm: Melbourn

• Hale Close – Armingford Crescent – Russet Way – Bramely Avenue – Worcester Way – Bramely Avenue – Russet Way – Orchard Road – Orchard Way – Metcalfe Way – Trigg Way - Fordham Way – Clear Crescent – Palmers Way – Metcalfe Way – Meadow Way – High Street

Tuesday, December 12, from 6pm: Newmarket Road area, Royston

• Studlands Rise – Coltsfoot Drive – The Shires – Hunters Way – Parklands – Parthia close – Highlands – The Brambles – Campion Way – Mallow Walk –

Saffron Street – Valley Rise – Primrose View – Newmarket Road – Foxglove Bank – Betony Vale – Lingfield Road – Clydesdale Road – Suffolk Road - Aintree Road – Ascot Road – Winsor Road – Brampton Road – Goodwood Road – Haydock Road

Wednesday, December 13, from 6pm: Grange estate, Royston

• Barkway Road – Shaftesbury Way – Shepherd Close – Shaftesbury Way - Barkway Road - Limekiln Close – Grange Bottom – Beldam Avenue – Thurnall Avenue – Barkway Road

Thursday, December 14, from 6pm: Coombelands and Twigdens, Royston

• Browning Close – Coombelands – Kipling Road – Ackroyd Road – Byron Road – Brooke Road – Fieldfare Way – Curlew Crescent – Kestrel Way – Quail Walk – Redwing Rise – Skylark Place – Woodcock Road – Nightingale Way – Pipit Close – Siskin Close – Heron Way

Sunday, December 17, from 5pm: Melbourn

• Saxon Way – Back Lane – Green Banks – The Lawns – Water Lane - Chalkhill Barrow – Greengage Rise – Beechwood Avenue – Ash Grove – Maple Way – Beechwood Av - Elm Way - Beechwood Avenue - New Road - Carlton Rise

Monday, December 18, from 6pm: Bassingbourn

• Canberra Close – The Causeway – Tower Close – Elbourn Way - Clarkes Way – Willmott Road – Elm Tree Drive – High Street – North End – Church Close – Fortune Way – Park View – Walnut Tree Close – North End

Tuesday, December 19, from 6pm: Green Drift & Briary Lane area, Royston

• Kneesworth Street – Green Drift – Malting Close – Farrier Court - Green Drift (to end) – Tannery Drift – Baldock Street – Princes Mews – Briary Lane – Earls Hill Gardens - Heath Avenue - Chilcourt - Lankester Road – Stakepiece Road – Coronation Ave – Days Close – Sun Hill – Echo Hill – Sun Hill – Hill Side – Mounteagle – Sun Hill

Wednesday, December 20, from 6pm: Meldreth

• Meldreth Station – Whitecroft Road – Oakrits – Mary’s Way – Howard Road – Elin Way – High Street - Bell Close - Flambards Close – The Grange

Thursday, December 21, from 6pm: Garden Walk area, Royston

• Bannister Gardens – Maple Way – Lime Grove – Cherry Drive – Perry Drive – Mortimer Road – Garden Walk – Hawthorn Way – Field Crescent – Newman Avenue – Dacre Green – Icknield Walk (S) – Newmarket Rd – Icknield Walk – The Close – Elm Walk – Icknield Walk (N) – Garden Close – Poplar Drive – Wheatfield Crescent – Woodlands – Honey Way

Friday, December 22, from 6.30pm: Barkway

• Wheatsheaf Meadow – Periwinkle Close – Royston Rd – Windmill Close – High Street – Burrs Lane – Townsend Close

Saturday, December 23, from 6pm: Orchard Road area, Royston

• Orchard Road – North Close – Rock Road – Kneesworth Street – York Way – Minster Road – Burns Road – Housman Avenue – Lindsay Close – Betjeman Road – Shakespeare – Burns Road to end – Kneesworth Street – Serby Avenue – Gower Road.