Raunds' Santa's grotto cancelled - but town council to donate all the presents to good causes

Raunds Town Council is ‘very disappointed’ after having to cancel the town’s Santa’s Grotto, but says the presents will still go to a good home.

A message on the town council website says that due to its provider withdrawing their support at very short notice, it will not be possible for this year's Santa's Grotto to proceed as intended from December 16 to 19.

However, the council will donate all of the presents from this year's event to the Hill Street Vintage Collection Santa on a Tractor fundraiser and to Raunds Food Bank.

Raunds mayor Cllr Richard Levell said: “It is a great shame that we are unable to put on a Christmas grotto this year, but I am pleased that we have come up with an alternative plan.”

Chairman of the events committee, Cllr Magdalena Levell, said: “The council looks forward to working with Brian Kettell (Santa on a Tractor) to deliver to the children of Raunds the Christmas presents we bought for the grotto.”

And despite the grotto being cancelled for this year, Santa will be visiting Raunds on Sunday, December 11, and spreading plenty of Christmas cheer to families in the town.

Here is the schedule for Santa on a Tractor:

- 9.15am Starting at Hill Street in the Village Collection yard- 10.00am The Oval at the top on Darcie Park- 10.30am Antona Drive- 10.55am The Duke of Wellington Stanwick- 11.15am Andrews Way- 11.40am Cherry Walk the big grass area at the junction- 12.10pm Asda- 12.30pm Cottesbrooke Way Border Park Estate- 1pm McInnes Way near the green- 1.30pm Heritage Way up the top end- 2pm Poppy Drive Silver Fields- 2.35pm Windmill Primary School- 3.05pm Whittam Close big grass area- 3.35pm Co-op- 4pm Ashfield House

Then back through town finishing at the junction of Butts Road and Park Road around 4.30pm and the surrounding roads (times are approximate).

For more information about this and other events in the town, visit the town council website.