So, here we are with the clocks going back! The nights are drawing in and Rotarians’ thoughts turn to Christmas!

It’s time to check out the sleigh and prepare to welcome Santa to Welwyn Garden City with the best of wishes for the festive season and to give a little joy to those who could do with a helping hand.

This year’s programme begins on Sunday, December 1 with a new Santa Paws event alongside Santa Claus on the sleigh.

For a £5 donation dog owners can bring their four legged friends to meet Santa, have the opportunity to take your own photo and take home a goody bag.

The secret location of Santa as he travels through the country will be revealed later!

We do know however that the sleigh and Santa are at Morrisons WGC on Saturday, December 7, inside the Howard Centre on Sunday 8th and outside Waitrose during the weekend of the 7th and 8th.

Exact times and later December dates will be revealed in next month’s article and on social media.

The sleigh was constructed three years ago and is run by WGC Rotary Club’s satellite group formed from a team of volunteers whose children once were at Templewood School. This group of husbands and wives help the main club when major events occur.

The satellite club has supported Open Gardens, the Rotary Quiz and Jazz on the Island. Without them, these events simply wouldn't happen.

We are hugely grateful for their time and effort and their boundless encouragement. If you are inspired to join them please make contact via our website and we will put you in touch.

WGC Rotarians recently joined a full house at the new BEAM theatre in Hertford for a performance of Shrek the Musical.

Starring Adam Beckman, our favourite tenor from the wonderful Jazz on the Island concert in Lemsford last July, the audience saw Shrek in his fabulous fantastic fantasy story as he fell in love with the princess from the tower!

Adam's performance was outstanding as he carried the whole cast along with him to eventual eternal happiness, defeating the wicked lord (with the wobbly legs!).

Hertfordshire's Dramatic and Operatic Society fielded a cast of over 30 to make the evening wild with fun and laughter. Well done HD&OS and well done WGC Rotary for supporting them!

Finally we have news of a really exciting project that Welwyn Garden City Rotarians are involved in.

The club's two joint presidents are working with Stanborough School on the sourcing, planting and cultivating of over 400 trees on Stanborough Green, facing Stanborough Road.

The trees, which will come from the Woodland Trust, will be planted on November 19 by the school's ecology students and under-planted with 4,000 crocus corms to mark World Polio Day.

WGC Rotary Club will be providing refreshments to the Stanborough students and staff involved.

So we say again if you’ve read these monthly articles from WGC Rotary Club and think you could support the town and local community either directly by joining us by becoming a member or by talking with us to draw our attention to useful areas of support

You can make contact through www.welwyngcrotary.org.uk or drop into Campus West where some of us meet at 11am on the third Tuesday of each month.

Alternatively come and chat when you see us about town. We’d love to meet you,