Christmas Cheer for Hinckley Community Group

A Hinckley community group that brings Christmas cheer to the town’s streets every year is set to benefit from a brand new sleigh after it was donated by a grateful resident.

Colin Stew, from Leicestershire, is a construction technician at Coventry College, and during his own time at the college, has constructed a seven foot long wooden sleigh with assistance from colleagues Richard Grops, Gurmit Singh and several Level 2 Carpentry students.

The task took up to three days’ work in total spread across the year, and has been donated to the Hinckley Round Table charity for their volunteers to use for Santa runs across the town in future years to come.

Explaining the reason for the donation, Colin said: “The Hinckley Round Table helped my wife Beth in her time of need this year by putting £1000 towards a brand new light wheelchair for her, so this donation is a way of saying thank you and giving something back to them.

“My wife has various health conditions including one where her joints dislocate many times a day so this light wheelchair will make a great deal of difference for her and will enable her to maintain her independence, as well as being able to get in and out of the car easily.

“It’s been a real team effort in putting together the sleigh at Coventry College. Myself, Richard and some of the carpentry students constructed the sleigh, while Gurmit supported with painting the sleigh with red paint.

“It means a lot to me to be able to give something back to the Hinckley Round Table and I’d like to thank all of my colleagues and students at Coventry College for helping me to make this donation a reality.”

Hinckley Round Table has been organising journeys for Santa across the town for more than 45 years.