Geordie Chapter Christmas Toy Run

Saturday 9th December 2006

If the meaning of life is 'The pursuit of Happiness', then today was full to the brim of Life.  Giving to three groups of society that are vulnerable and currently experiencing a distinct lack of sunshine brought a warm family feeling to the caring, sharing Geordie Chapter Harley Owners Group.

First stop at our sponsoring dealer Just Harleys and our recipients were ready and waiting with a treat for us - hot tea and coffee from their very own mobile 'Greasy Spoon'!  Thanks to the Salvation Army who were there to accept all the toys generously contributed to the youngsters of our region who's Christmas would be enhanced by the Chapter members generosity:

About 100 Santa's, assorted Fairies and Gnomes saddled up for the ride through the City Centre to our second charitable cause and this one can bring a tear to a glass eye, St.Oswalds Hospice.  We decided to donate £2,000 from Chapter funds to help with the care of the very ill young people of our region.  The car park at St.Oswalds was a sea of Santa's, our director even had her badges of office sewn onto her Mrs Santa Kit!

No sooner had we spread a little cheer at St.Oswalds than it was onwards and upwards and the third stop of the day to deliver selection boxes to a Foster Children's party.

I was hopeful of pinching a Mars Bar but I did not spy a single selection box and because of the sensitivity of these children's situation I took no photos of their happy smiling faces but those images are burned on my personal Hard Drive.  One little chap was convinced I was the Real Santa and held my hand, very tightly, for the duration of our stay.  It was twenty years of Santaring at the local school and Church that equipped me to deliver the most convincing Santa to that little chap and that piece of magical interaction between him and I was the culmination and icon of the day that will stay with me for ever - a sharing magic moment, priceless.

Dispensing so much good cheer is not only tiring but hunger causing so it was back to the Ouseburn Centre to see what Keith and his merry band of workers had conjured up for the army of Santa's about to descend on them!  No one was disappointed there was bubbling broth by the cauldron, buns by the score and Chocolate (no Vodka Sal) treats to end up with; another example of the caring sharing Geordie Chapter HOG in action.  What a day.  We all deserve from life what we put in, all of us contributed plenty and the pay back, as if we needed a payback, was to be seen in Smiling Happy Faces and that is one thing I saw loads of today, Happy Smiling Faces; priceless.

Photos courtesy of Tom Cooper, Geordie Chapter and Kalle Johnsen, Bergen Chapter