Raising money for Mayor's Charities singing Xmas Carols

Supporting Mayor's Charities:

I was dressed as Santa Claus raising money for the Spelthorne Borough's Mayor Cllr Robin Sider 4 charities below:

1. The Spelthorne Multiple Sclerosis Society 
2. The Spelthorne Alzheimer's Society 
3. Spelthorne Gymnastics Club 
4. The Swan Sanctuary

I was happy to see the Mayor of Spelthorne Cllr Robin Sider again with so many councillors including the Leader of Spelthorne Borough Council, Cllr Frank Ayers and his wife Ann and other supporters and carollers turned up to sing and spread the Christmas cheer all around in this Holy month of the birth of our beloved Jesus Christ. Thank you to Cllr Chris Bannister for organising Carolling Councillors event yearly raising much needed funds for the Mayor’s chosen charities.

I then embarked on spreading the simple message of Christmas cheer (not raising any money though), dressed as Santa on Church Road, Ashford after the Elmsleigh centre experience and met many shop keepers, passersby, and people waiting on the bus stops, taking pictures when I could. Nearly everyone was happy to see me as I saw people beeping their cars wishing me 'Merry Christmas', I was so delighted, felt happy and energised that Ashford is such a nice place to live and do business as people are just simply humble and happy people, courteous and generous to the core and I believe that Ashford is excellent town location for business development. A few would have paid me to shut-up too, either way I would have simply forwarded that money to the Mayor's charities. Well, an idea for next year.

Afterwards I embarked on my journey to other areas, doing the same, wishing everyone 'Merry Christmas and happy new year' all around, I received the same positive responses, people beeping, getting my attention, children waving, mothers pointing at me and their children who were simply so happy to see me, many mums had pictures taken with me and their children, next to the prams and their cars, one father even stopped his car on the road in Uxbridge road Hillingdon so that his children can have a good look at me from the back seat and they all waved and shouted “Father Christmas”. I wished that there was someone making a movie of all this to share with you all. I met one lady called Jean Barrett in Uxbridge too (former resident of Staines) who gave me £5 for the Mayor's charities without my prompt when I told her what I did earlier. £5 that Jean gave me along with my £20, I saved sending eCards to everybody, saving a few trees along the way with the cue from Cllr Budd & Smith Ainsley, thank you to you both.

I believe that if I carried the bucket I would have easily raised hundreds of pounds more for Mayor’s Charities at this special time of the year when people are charitable and they happily give to charities and help the poor and needy.

I strongly believe that the vast majority of the people around the world are good people, charitable, forgiving, loving, no matter what religion, nationality or group they are from, which is evident from funds raised by hundreds of charities around the world regularly, but I believe that British people are the most generous of them all, which we must promote and highlight in everything we do, instead of so much negative press we get from the media. Britain is a wonderful place to live, do business and visit.

I would like to start a "Santa Cllrs Sleigh Group with Bells" which will travel at all the main high streets of Spelthorne few days before Christmas next year, spreading Christmas cheer, raising money for various Charities, any takers? Please let me know if you wish to join.

We played a very small part in the Elmsleigh Centre on Saturday raising much needed funds for Mayor’s Charities but much work still needs to be done as the squeeze of social reforms hit many in our Borough, and I know that all of us feel the pain too and I have no doubt that what can be done by Spelthorne Borough Council will be done to reduce the effect these changes will have on those that are most vulnerable in our Borough where possible. I do thank Kwasi Kwarteng MP and Ashford Pride team who managed to acquire £10,000 from the Government for uplifting Ashford, much credit goes to Ashford Pride team. Along with them, Ashford on the Map, Ashford Rotary Club, Ashford Camera club, Royal British Legion and SSFA volunteers are our unsung heroes that do so much for our lovely town of Ashford and no doubt much more still needs to be done and is being done by them and many other groups, my big thank you goes to all of you and may you have a very happy Christmas and prosperous new year 2013.

I would like to thank all the councillors and staff at Spelthorne Borough council who work so hard throughout the year to make Spelthorne a nice place to live and do business. My special Christmas thanks goes to the residents of Ashford, Ashford East & Ashford Common for their support and good wishes with so many messages of support I receive on regular basis, God bless you all and thank you to all of you. May this blessed month make your new year 2013 a happy and prosperous one for you and your family.

Residence of Ashford, Ashford East & Ashford Common have been meeting with me and County Cllr Coleman with their concerns since I became a councillor at Ashford Library on first Saturday of every month at 11am-12 noon, they should check with the library staff of any changes in the schedule. The residents have also been communicating with me via telephone, email and letters where all have been responded to by me, Cllr Fraser and Cllr Mitchell. I continue to encourage all the residents with concerns to contact us straight away as some matters may require urgent action. Thank you.