Santa Claus comes to town on new-look float
A newly-refurbished Christmas float will tour Southwell and surrounding villages spreading festive cheer through December.
The float tour, complete with Father Christmas, is organised annually by Southwell and District Lions Club.
This year’s float has had a fresh coat of red and white paint, new loudspeakers and light bulbs installed and is decorated with tinsel.
Lions member and one of the float organisers, Mr Barry Erlston, said: “It helps to keep it looking fresh. After travelling round in the wind, rain and snow for a few weeks it can start to look a little careworn so we have given it a bit of a new lease of life.”
As the float tours the district, volunteers will collect donations for local charities. It will play carols and Father Christmas will hand out sweets to children.
Mr Erlston said: “We wish people a merry Christmas and Father Christmas goes to the doors greeting people and checks the children’s lists, and we raise money for good causes along the way.
“The response is always really good and people seem to look forward to it.”
A collection will take place in the Market Square on Saturday, December 18, between 8am and 1pm.
The float’s route is slightly altered each year to ensure everyone gets a visit. This year, it will be visiting the following areas (times are approximate):
Friday, December 10, in 6.20pm in Fiskerton: Main Street (west of Gravelly Lane); 6.30pm in Morton: Main Street, Daybill Close, Middle Lane, Manor Drive, Church Lane; 7pm: in Fiskerton: Gravelly Lane, Longmead Drive, Main Street; 7.40pm: Station Road, Marlock Close, Green Lane; 8.30pm in Rolleston: Fiskerton Road, Holly Court, Manor Farm Close, Croft Farm Close.
Monday, December 13, 6.15pm in Southwell: Westgate, Handford Court, Micklebarrow Close, Landseer Road; 6.40pm: Westgate, Halloughton Road, Nottingham Road; 7.30pm: Westgate, Hillside Drive, Ashtree Close, Honing Drive; 8.10pm: Westgate, Lowe’s Wong, Dunham Close, Wands Close; 8.30pm in Upton: Main Street, The Close.
Tuesday, December 14, 6.20pm in Farnsfield: Parfitt Drive, Irving Close, Carding Close; 6.40pm: Main Street, Quaker Lane, Gregory Gardens, Gordon Close; 7pm: Tippings Lane, Powell Court, Main Street, New Hill; 7.30pm: Branston Avenue, Ridgeway Close; 8pm Dayncourt Walk, Meadow Close, Long Meadow; 8.20pm: Ridgeway, Milldale Road, Woodland Close, Greenvale, Greenwood Close Woodside; 8.40pm: Brickyard Lane, Nether Court.
Wednesday, December 15, 6.10pm in Maythorne; 6.40pm in Thurgarton: Beck Street, Priory Park, Bleasby Road; 7.30pm in Bleasby: Station Road, Manor Close, Orchard Close, Elmores Meadow; 8pm Hawthorn Close, Sycamore Lane, Gypsy Lane; 8.50pm in Gibsmere.
Thursday, December 16, 6.15pm in Southwell: Ropewalk, Monckton Drive, Manor Close, Appletree Close, Private Road; 6.45pm: Kirklington Road, Glenfields, Hopkiln Lane; 7.15pm in Halam: Radley Road and Back Lane; 8pm in Edingley, Main Street, Station Road; 8.30pm in Kirklington: Southwell Road and The Green.
Monday, December 20, 6.15pm in Southwell: Woodland Drive, Birchwood Close, Pinewood Close; 6.30pm: Fern Close, Leeway Road, Nursery End, Arnold Close; 7.10pm: Craft’s Way, Stenton Close, Raysmith Close, Merryweather Close; 7.30pm: Caudwell Close, Kirkby Close, Lower Kirklington Road; 7.50pm: Norwood Gardens; 8.15pm: Orchard Close, Ridgeway; 8.30pm: Springfield Road, Silvey Avenue.
Tuesday, December 21, 6.20pm in Farnsfield: Far Back Lane, Broomfield, Goodwin Court; 7pm: Alexander Road, Abbott Crescent; 7.20pm: Station Lane, Spring Lane, Fletcher Court; 8pm: Birch Avenue, Murdoch Close, Cockett Lane; 8.30pm: Mansfield Road, Church Side.
Wednesday, December 22, 6.10pm in Southwell: Halam Road, Humberstone including Tathams Orchard, Brook Walk and The Jubilee and Adams Row; 6.35pm: Woodland View, Hillcrest, Chatsworth Avenue; 7.10pm: Dudley Doy Road, Beaumont Avenue, May Hill, The Riddings; 7.40pm: Allenby Road, Vicarage Road, Trinity Road, Westgate; 8.15pm: West Lawns, Warrands Close, Westhorpe: 8.35pm: Oxton Road, Allenby Road.
Thursday, December 23, 6.05pm in Southwell: Lower Kirklington Road, Archers Field, Byron Gardens; 6.35pm: Dover Street, Chatham Street; 6.50pm: Riverside, Dornoch Avenue, Station Road, Cannons Close; 7.25pm: Newark Road, Haywood Close, Meadow View, Greet Park Close; 7.50pm: Templemans Way, Chimes Meadow; 8.10pm: Easthorpe, Crew Lane, Palmers Court, Bramley Close; 8.30: Church Street, Farthingate, Wakeling Close.
