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Festive VW convoy delivers kids' gifts to hospital

BBC Red Volkswagen camper van driving in to Beaulieu Motor Museum. The van is towing a sleigh trailer with an inflatable Father Christmas on board. A woman in a red coat is walking a white dog in the foreground of the picture.BBC
The VW vans were given a Christmas makeover when they gathered at the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu

More than 60 Volkswagen vehicles loaded with presents have taken part in a pre-Christmas convoy to benefit children in a hospital cancer unit.

The vans and cars gathered at the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu for the annual charity Santarun.

Owners and their dogs were dressed up and each vehicle was decorated before they were cheered off on the drive to Southampton.

The presents were taken to The Piam Brown unit at University Hospital Southampton - an oncology and haematology centre caring for children from birth to 16 years.

To the right of the picture is the event organiser Phill Ashby. He is leaning against his blue VW van holding his white dog. Standing to on the left of the picture is Phill's wife and daughter. The daughter is dressed in a white jumper with a blue star on it. The van is decorated with a green holly wreath and there is a sparkly Santa Claus on the bonnet.
Phill Ashby began the annual festival VW run 12 years ago

VW van driver Phill Ashby started the event 12 years ago.

"One of my family friend’s their daughter was being treated in the Piam Brown unit. I felt a bit useless and I thought I had to do something,” he said.

Lady Edwina Grosvenor, also a VW enthusiast, awarded prizes for the best decorated vehicle, dog and family.

The 60 vehicles - including Beetles, Golfs and Caddys, T4s and T5s - lined up at the motor museum before setting off for the hospital via Palace House in Beaulieu.

Twenty five minutes later they were at the hospital in Southampton unloading hundreds of gifts.

Sally Hillyear who is the Director of Fundraising at Southampton Hospitals Charity is standing in the hospital car park surround with bags of Christmas presents.
Sally Hillyear - Director of Fundraising at Southampton Hospitals Charity

Director of fundraising at Southampton Hospitals Charity, Sally Hillyear said the presents will make the children's stay in hospital much better.

"We'll make sure that every child in hospital this year has a present and then we will be working very closely with Southampton City Council to make sure that children in care in our wider communities will also receive a gift," she added.

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