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The Rotary Club of Winslow has distributed cheques to community groups from local villages, from funds raised by its Santa Float.

The Winslow Rotary Santa Float has toured Winslow and the surrounding villages every Christmas for the last 30 years.

Each year the float is operated in Winslow by club members, and in the villages it is run jointly with volunteers from those villages.

From left: Andrew Benfield from Grendon and Edgcott Scout Group, Michael Burrage from Twyford C of E School, Winslow Rotary president Neil Smith, James Sheriff from Grendon School, Arch Dancer from North Marston PTA, Darren Rothwell from Calvert Green Community Association, Tracey Benton from Marsh Gibbon Pre-school, Sarah Sweet-Rowley from Autism Early Support Trust, Pat McSweeny from 1st North Marston Brownie Unit, Chris Hooper from The Little Horwood Trust, Kate Edgar from The Claydons PCC

And each year the proceeds are distributed to the corresponding village charities.

Christmas 2021 was a bumper year, with collections totalling more than £9,000, and cheques were presented to village representatives at a ceremony at the Bell Hotel on Tuesday, February 15.

President of Winslow Rotary, Neil Smith, handed over cheques to 11 organisations from nine different villages.

Marsh Gibbon - £425 for the pre-school;

The Claydons - £500 for East Claydon church lead replacement;

North Marston and Granborough - £525 for the school and £525 for the Brownies;

Calvert Green - £625 for converting a red phone box into a community library;

Grendon and Edgcott - £475 for the Scouts and £475 for the school;

Steeple Claydon - £650;

Twyford - £765 for creating a school sensory garden;

Mursley - £625,

Little Horwood - £625 for upgrading the playground and converting a bus shelter to a community library.

Autism Early Support (formerly The Puzzle Centre) and the Circle Centre nursery, based in Middle Claydon, also received a cheque for £2,200 - a major part of the monies raised in Winslow town itself.

This donation will enable the purchase of new laptops and headsets so the charity can continue to develop its services as well as provide progress updates for parents at the nursery.

Rotary president Neil Smith said: “The Santa Float is one of the best things we do - we’ve raised nearly £65,000 over the last 10 years alone.

"In addition to raising a great deal of money for local causes, the float gives huge enjoyment to the children and adults alike.

"But it only works because of the generosity of the people of Winslow and the surrounding area.

"We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone.

"And I promise we will be back next Christmas!”

Further information about Winslow Rotary and its activities can be seen here on the club's new website.

Winslow Rotary hands over Santa Float cash to local community groups