Sleigh Rounds
We need a house to house collection license from Swale Borough Council. These need to be applied for each year and cover the whole sleigh round period for that year.
We typically start the sleigh rounds one week after Switch On Day in order to give time for volunteers to recover from that.
A sleigh round typically runs from 6pm to about 8:30pm in weekends and earlier on Saturdays.
We publicise each sleigh round on our social media account but we do not announce the exact routes, only the general area. We do not announce the starting point because we do not want large crowds to assemble because small children tend to run out in the road and in front of the sleigh. Also we do not want to disappoint children who arrive expecting to see Santa in the sleigh but instead see the sleigh being set up and Santa possibly arriving in a car first.
We also only announce rounds on the same day as the round and not before.
We do not do rounds on Sundays in order to give the volunteers some time off to rest.
Equipment
- The Santa Sleigh, built from a converted trailer.
- Hand-held bell(s). Used alongside the music to remind residents that we are in the street.
- Collection buckets. Ours are red with a white lid with a slot for the coins. Most sleigh rounds need between 3 and 6 buckets depending on the number of volunteers.
- Reflective jackets - ours are red with silver reflective strips, and specifically include the word "VOLUNTEER" because we want it to be clear that we are not paid and are not working for the local council.
- Name badges with lanyards. Also printed on the badges should be the collection licence number as issued by the local council. The relevant text on our badges at the time of writing is: "House to house permit 24/501258/HTHCOL issued by Swale Borough Council in accordance with House to House Collections Act 1939. Pass valid only on 18.11.2024 – 23.12.2024"
- Towing socket adapter (13-pin to 7-pin). Our sleigh has a 7-pin plug for its lights, which fits most cars. However, some newer cars only have a 13-pin socket so we occasionally need an adapter.
- Credit-card reader for those people who want to donate but don't have cash on them.
- Printed maps for the driver and the sleigh round leader. We use [Streetmap.co.uk] and not Google Maps because Streetmap produces maps with dark lines along the edges of roads which makes them much easier to read when printed.
Roles
Some of the organisation roles can be done by the same person.
- Sleigh round leader - is in overall charge of the sleigh round and walks alongside the sleigh with the collectors. This is a separate role and cannot be done by the driver or Santa. The driver cannot see what is going on behind. Santa is also too busy to give continual instructions and if surrounded by children cannot be expected to give instructions to move to the next street, for instance.
- Driver - drives the vehicle towing the sleigh.
- Collectors - volunteers who accompany the sleigh with collectin
- Route planner - draws out maps of the routes to give to the driver and the sleigh round leader.
- Driver rota - organises drivers to be available for the various sleigh rounds. Sleigh rounds will run for around 4 weeks and generally at least 5 nights a week so
- Santa rota - same as Driver rota but for the Santas.
- Sleigh storage and charging - when the sleigh is collected and returned from and to its place of storage there needs to be someone there to look after it. The drivers only have knowledge of towing and will not know about the tasks needed to maintain the sleigh.
Sleigh Tasks
When the sleigh is returned the following needs to be done by someone whose job this is. The volunteer drivers will not know how to do this.
- Putting wheel chocks in place.
- Turning off the power.
- Connecting the battery charger.
- Covering up the sleigh with a tarpaulin to protect from rain.
- Noting or doing any repairs needed.
Permissions Required
| Item | Obtain From | Typical cost | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public performance licence (PPL/PRS) | PPLPRS | (TBD) | (Note: This is separate from the PPL needed for Switch On Day.)
Needed for playing live music. We request the Charity and Community Discount to keep the costs lower. |
| Street collection license | Swale Borough Council | ? | Required for when our volunteers carry collection pots for donations. |
Useful info to prepare ahead of each sleigh round
The following is an example of a schedule that should be drawn up in advance for every day or evening on which there is a sleigh round.
If you only have a few volunteers then this may not be necessary. However, if you have multiple drivers, Santas and collectors then it is useful to have these arranged in advance to avoid last minute problems.
| Info | Description |
|---|---|
| Date | The date on which the round will take place. |
| Name of Round | The general area of town in which the round will take place, to distinguish it from other rounds and for when paying the proceeds in to the bank. |
| Start Time | Time when the sleigh starts the round, not when it leaves the storage location. |
| Start Point | Place where volunteers will gather to begin the round. |
| Sleigh Handover | Who will be present at the storage location to hand the sleigh to the driver. |
| Sleigh Handback | Who will receive the sleigh from the driver. |
| Santa | Who will be Santa. |
| Driver | Who will be the driver. |
| Volunteer in Charge | Person responsible for safety during the round. This cannot be Santa or the driver. |
| Volunteers | Extra people who will be helping with collection buckets. |
Sleigh Round Volunteer Code of Conduct
Example:
Sittingbourne Christmas Lights and Sleigh Rounds
Sleigh Round Volunteer Code of Conduct
Thank you for volunteering! This guide helps keep everyone safe whilst we spread Christmas joy throughout Sittingbourne.
Safety First! 🎄
Your Personal Safety
- Most important: If anyone challenges you for your collection bucket, hand it over immediately - your safety is far more important than any money
- Follow instructions from lead volunteers
- Watch out for anyone acting suspiciously (following the sleigh on foot, by car or bike) and alert the Lead Volunteer when it's safe to do so
- Always wear your hi-vis and be careful when near roads
Your Position
- You'll be given a designated spot around the sleigh - please stay there unless there's an emergency
- This helps keep everyone safe and ensures we cover all areas properly
Looking After Others
- Keep an eye out for other volunteers and the public
- Children and adults get excited and may not watch where they're going!
- Always guide people to the pavement side of the sleigh
Whilst You're Volunteering 🎅
Phones & Photos
- Keep your phone away so you can chat with families
- Only Lead Volunteers or designated people will use phones for our Facebook updates
- Don't photograph the public (especially children) without asking permission first
Smoking & Vaping
- Not whilst you're visible to the public please
- If you're driving the towing vehicle, keep it minimal even when out of sight
Being Brilliant with the Public
- Be friendly, polite and welcoming to everyone
- If you don't know an answer, direct them to the Lead Volunteer or our Facebook page
- No swearing or offensive language please
- Don't let anyone climb on the sleigh
- Avoid touching people, especially children - even if they're excited and run towards you. If someone's in immediate danger (like about to step into traffic), use your best judgement
- If people want photos with you, keep your hands visible and away from them
Sleigh Rules
- Only Santa, Lead Volunteers, or people they specifically ask can get on the sleigh
Other Bits
- Don't do anything that might give us a bad reputation
- There are no toilets on rounds (some Saturday rounds are quite long!). Please don’t relieve yourself in public places while on sleigh rounds.If you need to leave early, that's absolutely fine
- Most importantly - have fun and stay safe!
What You're Achieving 🌟
You're creating magical Christmas memories for local families and helping raise funds for our community. Every smile you help create makes a difference!
Need Help?
Questions or concerns? Speak to a Lead Volunteer or contact the Chair.
Volunteer Agreement
I've read this code of conduct and agree to follow it.
Volunteer Name: ________________________________
Signature: ___________________________________
Date: _______________________________________
Contact Details
Chair: (Insert name)
Email: (Insert email)
Urgent: Text/WhatsApp (Insert number)