SANTA is continuing his journey by sleigh around the streets of Maldon and Heybridge over the coming days and weeks.

Maldon Rotary Club and Heybridge Blackwater Rotary Club both have a schedule of streets they will be coming to - and because of Covid-safety this year have set up a joint Just Giving page to raise money for local good causes.

President of Heybridge Blackwater Rotary Club, Malcolm Myles, told Maldon Nub News how moving the sleigh's first trip out to Goldhanger on Wednesday (2 December) had been.

He said: "We thought we wouldn't be able to do the Santa runs this year, but there was so much demand that we have. Obviously we have to do things a bit differently this year because we can't knock on doors or get up close to people, but it hasn't made it any less moving.

"In fact, it was quite emotional when we got to Goldhanger and after the year we've all had, I felt very moved myself to see the children so excited for us to come to their street."

Now the club has been inundated with Santa requests and there will even be a trip to Tolleshunt D'arcy after the village managed to find an extra Santa to help out.

The schedule for the Heybridge area Santa's sleigh drive-bys is currently as follows:

-Friday, 4 December: Wood Road estate route one - Heywood Way, Hunt Avenue, Hillary Close and side roads.

-Mon 7 December: Wood Road estate route two - Wood Road, Chestnut Mews, Ash Grove Scyila Close , Swifts Boulevard, Towers Rd and Glebe Close.

- Wednesday, 9 December: Great Totham, Staplers Heath, Waldon House Road, Catchpole Lane, Foster Road estate.

-Friday, 11 December: Hall Road estate, Heybridge.

-Monday, 14 December: Holloway Road, Crescent Road and new estate.

-Tuesday, 15 December: Little Totham.

-Wednesday, 16 December: Rowan Drive estate.

- Friday, 18 December: Doubleday Drive estate.

- Monday, 21 December: Temple Way estate.

- Tuesday, 22 December: Tolleshunt D'arcy

NOTE: All of the Heybridge Santa's sleigh journeys will take place between 6pm and 8pm. This is different from the Maldon Rotary Club times. The Maldon Rotary Club shedule is currently as follows:

- Saturday, 5 December: Start point 4.30pm. Lawling Avenue, Southey Close, Thirslet Close, Mayland Close, Wagtail, Coopers and Ramsey.

- Monday, 7 December: Start point 6.30pm. Mariners Estate (Fambridge Road end), Lightermans estate, Mermaid Way and Mirosa Drive.

- Wednesday, 9 December: Start point 6.30pm. Ben Cobey, Meeson Meadows.

- Saturday, 12 December: Start point 4.30pm. Milton Road, Browning Road, Wordsworth, Masefield, Coleridge, Shakespeare, Longfellow, Tennyson, Washington Road into Essex Road and Plume Avenue, Essex Road.

- Monday, 14 December: Start point 4.30pm. Bottom of Fambridge Road, estate on right, Fambridge Road, Fambridge Close, Volwyke Ave, Fambridge Road, Lambourne, Fambridge Road to Wallace Binder Close.

- Wednesday, 16 December: Start point 6.30pm. Falcon Fields.

- Saturday, 19 December: Start point 4.30p.m. Wickham Bishops, opposite The Mitre – second road – Blacksmiths Lane.

- Monday, 21 December: Start point 6.30pm. Basin Road - St. Georges Close, Harfred Avenue, Blackwater Close, The Stiles, Maritime Avenue, Spinnaker Drive and Basin Road.

Please visit the Facebook pages of both clubs to check final details and for any updates: you can find the Heybridge Blackwater Rotary Club Facebook page here and the Maldon Rotary Club Santa's Sleigh Facebook page here.

To donate to support both clubs in raising funds for local charities this Christmas visit their Just Giving Page here