Sheffield’s Annual Santa Sleigh Tour Cancelled Due to Safety and Volunteer Shortages

The yearly Santa’s sleigh tour, which visits suburban areas, will not proceed this Christmas, citing safety concerns. This event, organized by Sheffield’s Round Table group, serves as a fundraising initiative, having raised over £3,500 for the Cavendish Cancer Care charity in 2023. The organizers issued a statement, declaring: “It is with deep sadness that we announce the difficult decision not to run the Santa sleigh this year.” Subsequently, group members explained that the cancellation was due to the sleigh requiring maintenance and a lack of available volunteers. In the previous year, the sleigh completed a four-night tour, visiting Greystones, Millhouses, Dore, Lodge Moor, Norton, and Jordanthorpe. The statement further elaborated: “We have loved bringing Santa out on his sleigh, seeing all the joy on people’s faces and raising funds for some really special Sheffield charities. However, the safety of the public, as well as the safety of our members, is paramount, and there are several issues that, in combination, mean we cannot run our sleigh parades this year.” Jon Gilbert, chair of the Round Table, further commented: “Sadly the Sheffield team doesn’t have enough volunteers this year, plus the sleigh itself needs some work. It’s so tough on the guys, but unless they have everything in place from a health and safety and liability perspective, they just can’t put it on.” The group expressed its hope for the sleigh parade’s return in 2025. They stated: “The motto of Round Table is to adopt, adapt and overcome, and so we have every intention of bringing Santa back to the streets of Sheffield in 2025. If there are any local people or businesses that feel they could contribute to upgrading the sleigh in any way, we would be very keen to have a chat with you, so please reach out to us.”