Hello and welcome to my JustGiving page. My name is Santa Blake and I'm a Yorkshire based, free-to-hire, charity Santa Claus. This will be my eighth year portraying Santa Claus / Father Christmas and the seventh year I'll be raising money for my chosen charity, The Yorkshire Children's Trust (YCT). The Trust has become a very important part of who I am and in 2021, I was bestowed the honour of being chosen by the YCT as an Honorary Patron for the charity. In my role as Santa Blake, I intend to continue raising money for this very worthwhile and deserving charity.

The YCT was founded by two sets of parents after their daughters were diagnosed with Leukaemia. Since 2011, the charity has set out to help children and their families cope with the emotional and financial strain of many life-changing illnesses, something the founders of the charity understand after dealing with cancer. Despite their far-reaching work with local parents, support workers and medical professionals, YCT receive no lottery, NHS or central government funding. The cost of helping children rises every year and they rely 100% on donations to fund their essential work in the community. With your donation, The YCT can help pay for medical equipment, treatments, home modifications, hospital travel, breaks for affected families, one-on-one counselling and welfare and debt advice.

I work closely with the charity both on a charitable level as well as considering them close friends. I can attest to the hard work and dedication that goes into what they do on a daily basis. It's sometimes a thankless job, but without charities like this, many families would struggle dealing with the devastating effects of these illnesses. The YCT attempts to alleviate some of these burdens and I'm honoured to be able to help them with just a tiny piece of that goal!

In the past six years years, I have raised £18,155 for the YCT alone and have helped raise much more for the other various charities I have helped support. My goal a couple of years ago was to reach £20,000, but your generosity continues to inspire and drive me to bigger and better goals. I have set a new goal this year and that's to reach £25,000!! For me, time doesn't matter. If it takes 2-3 years to reach £25,000 that's okay. I promise to keep doing what I'm doing as long as people continue to donate when they're able.

It is a lofty goal, but each year teaches me that people are incredibly generous and are appreciative of the work I do for the community. I know Christmas can be an expensive time of the year and I appreciate that not everyone can afford to give. I believe by nature, we are a very charitable community at heart and while there are thousands of well-deserving charities that are asking for your donations, I'm personally asking you to help me help the YCT continue their amazing work and donate what you can afford.

Warmest Regards,                                                                                            Santa Blake