The magic of Christmas is officially coming to Folkestone as the Rotary Club confirms Santa Claus will be making his spectacular return this December.
Santa's Festive Schedule and Sleigh Routes
Santa will be visiting Folkestone from Monday, December 1 through to Thursday, December 17, bringing festive cheer to neighbourhoods across the town. He'll be travelling on his special sleigh with many helpers along various routes within Folkestone, and this year's sleigh features even more dazzling lights to brighten up the winter evenings.
In a particularly exciting development, Santa and his sleigh will make a special appearance at the Harbour Arm by the Christmas tree on December 12 between 5pm and 7pm. This free event gives children the perfect opportunity to meet Father Christmas in person and hand him their Christmas wish lists directly.
Live Tracking and Additional Collection Events
Keeping up with modern technology, the Rotary Club will provide a live tracker on Santa nights that the public can access through their Facebook page. The tracker will be active from 5pm on each day Santa is out with his sleigh, making it easy for families to locate him around Folkestone.
Additional collection events have been scheduled at Asda Folkestone on both Saturday, December 20 and Sunday, December 21, giving residents further opportunities to contribute to this important community initiative.
Supporting Local Causes and Community Spirit
Rotary Club President Jerry Cook expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming festivities: "Our team have been hard at work preparing for this year's Christmas collections. We are also very grateful to our sponsors including Tag Trees, Asda and The Folkestone Yacht Club for their support."
All money collected during the Christmas campaign goes directly to good causes in the local area. The funds support charities that organise Christmas events for elderly, disabled or disadvantaged community members, typically funding social gatherings such as Christmas lunches.
The club also creates special parcels to help mainly young families, containing both basic foods and some extra treats to make the festive season brighter. These parcels have been received very well by recipients in previous years, with numerous thank you letters acknowledging the support and consideration shown.
President Cook added: "As always we are grateful for all the support the public gives us in helping raise funds for those in need in the local community. We make Christmas a little better for those who are struggling."
The community is encouraged to watch for updates on the Rotary Club's Facebook page and their club website as the festive season approaches.
