Christmas Collections 2025

Click on link below to see rotas

Rota V01

Season’s Greetings

You are being sent this year’s Xmas Float Rota as you are part of my carefully maintained Rotary Lamplighters Contact Group (All of us, Members and Friends).

I am aware of most of those who may be unable to help, but if all you need is a chair, that can always be arranged if you let me know.

All Float messages will come this way as they are Lamplighter Business and not by social media.

This info comes straight from me and (as agreed) not via Andrew.

As we get going, the Contact Group will expand to include any further volunteers who have helped us in previous years and hopefully will do so again this year.

Attached you will see this year’s Float Rota as it stands today. We are again hoping to be able to manage without The Big Rota printout every Wednesday

As introduced last year we’re aiming at 4 shifts per day (3 on Sundays) and Santa will just be at the later 2 shifts at times more suitable for children. There will mainly be just 2 Collectors at the earlier slots. Exceptions being at Weekends.

The big change this year is that the Float, and hence our music, will not be going to all of the static sites. This is due to a reduction in the number of qualifying Drivers - and an anticipated shortage of those who can handle the Float at the Armoury.

The Float team need to know what the likely take up of offers to volunteer will be in 3 important areas.

To remind you, these are:

Drivers:

For Static sites, a Driver is needed to deliver the Float from the Armoury and then join the Collector team for 2 hours. At the end of the day, another Driver tows the Float back to the Armoury after his/her 2 hour collecting slot.

For Door to Door (D2D) Routes. The Float will be towed by a Mercedes vehicle around the D2D routes to the plans provided by Tony Ashurst and held in the vehicle – there are currently 4 of these this year - following (sometimes leading) the Collector team for that evening.

Santas:

We need to have one for each of the 2 hour final Static shifts or one per D2D event and they join the Collectors. For Static sites e.g. Supermarkets, Santa joins the Float for the final 2 shifts with the other Collectors and talks to the children and parents. We have never persuaded any Committee to agree to Mother Christmases and this year is no exception. Santa will be able to change in the vehicle on those days when it is on site.

Collectors:

These are needed per 2 hour shift. They need one of our cans and a Christmas disposition. There will be a Collectin machine and 4 Sumup machines available for those who don’t carry cash. We expect even more shoppers to prefer this method this year rather than cash. Try not to miss the opportunity.

Polar Bears: We have scope for Polar Bear Collectors and we may come to them later. The rumours about a Tiger Suit seem groundless.

Music: Tony B is arranging this again this year so any requests to add or remove tunes should go to him (Mistletoe and Wine grates after a 2 hours shift). I’m told the music system will be louder and even more straightforward this year

It would help if you could please reply, to me, by 31^st October, stating your availability to do any of the 3 key roles above. The Float team would like to know how many volunteers we are likely to have available and I need to know who to avoid bothering.

The current shortfall to fill the 2025 Rota is:

          16 Driver Slots

          33 Santa Slots

          102 Collector Slots (Static sites)

46 Collector Slots (if all D2D slots  are to be filled)

That would be around 5 slots each – IF we were all still fit. So we are asking for 6 slots from those who are – our usual target.

However

We have friends who have regularly helped us out