Andover has once again shown the true strength of its community spirit, with £7,021 raised for Countess of Brecknock Hospice through the highly successful Andover Santa Cruises, organised by Andover Community Events.
The annual festive fundraising drive saw Santa take on an exceptionally busy schedule throughout the run-up to Christmas, delivering joy to residents of all ages while raising vital funds for a much-loved local charity. In total, Santa dedicated an impressive 67 hours to events across the town, with the Andover Santa Cruises forming the heart of this year’s campaign.
Across the festive period, Santa took part in a wide range of activities designed to reach as many people in the community as possible. These included Andover’s Light Switch On Night, 25 home visits which brought festive surprises to 44 children, and multiple school visits that delighted pupils and staff alike. Santa also made time for 12 hours of charity visits, ensuring festive cheer reached those who needed it most.
Community-focused events played a key role in the success of the campaign. Santa hosted a book-reading session at the local library, attended two Santa breakfasts and one lunch with Santa, and led an evening of carols around the Christmas tree. Shoppers and families were also able to visit Santa at his Post Office in the Chantry Centre on two occasions, adding to the seasonal atmosphere in the town centre.
The programme also included more personal and innovative touches, such as personalised video messages, FaceTime calls, a Ring doorbell visit, and specialist sessions for Koala. One of the standout elements of the campaign was an evening Booze Cruise, alongside an incredible 12 hours of Andover Santa Cruises, which proved particularly popular and contributed significantly to the final fundraising total.
Kevin Rush from Andover Community Events said the generosity shown by the town continued to exceed expectations.
“Once again the generosity of Andover has left me lost for words. Times are hard and people are watching the pennies, but the community spirit always shines through. Raising money is just one part of the Santa offer — the main motivation is seeing all the smiles, from people of all ages, which is unbelievably heart-warming.”
He added that the team behind the Andover Santa Cruises wanted to extend their thanks to everyone who supported the initiative.
“We wish all of Andover the merriest of Christmases and we look forward to seeing you all again next year.”
