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So long Santa!
Leighton Buzzard Round Table starts its farewell tour
Santa is hanging up his sleigh-bells and saying so long to Leighton Buzzard following the collapse of the organisation behind the town's annual charity float.
The sad announcement was made on Thursday by the Leighton Buzzard Round Table.
But the group has pledged to take the sleigh out for one last tour of duty this Christmas, starting this week, and organisers are hoping that another town charity may step in and take up the reins next year.
For nearly 50 years families have lined the routes through the town as the Tablers took the charity float through the streets collecting money for worthy causes.
At one time more than 10,000 a year was handed over to good causes – but in recent years both the support for the Round Table, and the amount raised, has steadily diminished.
For the past four or five years Tablers have highlighted their struggle to keep the branch afloat, but the skids finally came off the sleigh this week when the last remaining four members resigned themselves to the demise of the group.
"It's very sad," said acting vice-chairman, treasurer, Table spokesman and carol float organiser Dave King. "It's just got too much for four people to run. We've struggled for years but the time has come to draw a halt to the event.
"Every year we ask the women of the PTAs, who volunteer to help us, to encourage their menfolk to join the Round Table but there's always the same excuse – they're too busy.
"We're all too busy – we all lead busy lives – but this is something worthwhile."
The Leighton Buzzard Round Table was founded in 1951 with the float being launched a decade later.
The charity was open to men aged 18 to 45 and, in its heyday, attracted more than 30 members.
It served both as a networking organisation and a group willing to aid their local communities.
"It's actually costing us a lot of money to remain a charity because we have to each pay 60 a year to be members of the national body," said Mr King.
"This has been on the cards for a few years. We've tried to carry on no matter what. We don't want to have to close but we have to face reality.
"We haven't got the numbers to do what we want to do."
But the group of Dave King, Richard Ramsbotham, Mark Ward and this year's chairman, Len Egerton, has promised to fulfil its existing promises to the town.
They're carrying out improvements at a woman's refuge and arranging an outing to Mead Open Farm, Billington, for the families before finally winding up in April.
Mr King said: "We'd like to thank the people of the town for their support over the years. "We know the float is very popular and people will be sad to see it stop.
"That's why we've struggled on but we've come to the end of the road.
"Once this last Christmas is over we will hold discussions with some of the other groups in the town to see if anyone else is willing to take over the event."
*The Leighton Buzzard Round Table starts its final tour of the town this Thursday at 6.30pm when it visits Brooklands Drive and all roads off, between, but not including, South Street and Hockliffe Street.
The route on Friday, from 6.30pm, will take in Harrow Road and Richmond Road.
On Saturday, from 5.30pm, it's Bideford Green, up to, but not including, Lomond Drive and on Sunday, also from 5.30pm, Lomond Drive around to Himley Green.
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Weather for Leighton Buzzard
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: North east
