A GROUP of volunteers have worked tirelessly this Christmas to bring festive cheer to everyone in the Benarty area. 

The Santa Benarty team have organised multiple events this year to ensure everyone in the villages was able to experience the magic of Christmas. 

From the Christmas Parade in early December, to five nights of visiting each street in the area, as well as making a special visit to one of their elves Briony Clarke in the hospital, the group have gone above and beyond for their community. 

A spokesperson for the Santa Benarty Team said: "The Santa Benarty list of events and appearances started with the Benarty Events Group Christmas Parade. The whole crew took part, along with a new intake of elves to help Santa Benarty with his duties.

"Not only were they from the Benarty area, but they also came from Lochgelly and as far as Kirkcaldy.

"Such is the popularity of Santa Benarty over the last seven years, he’s in great demand on the lead up to Christmas!"

This year, Stewart Colqhoun, from Crosshill, Steph and Conrad Courts, from Ballingry, Lisa and Duncan Reid, from Crosshill, and Kevin and Danielle McLean, from Crosshill, and all of their families took part once again.

The spokesperson continued: "These volunteers do everything that keeps the Benarty Santa sleigh running smoothly. They keep track of visits and the rota for the elves for when we travel around all the streets in Benarty over five nights.

"Kevin, who is also the owner of McLean Builders, volunteered to be the sponsor of this year’s sleigh ride.

"He made sure every child that came to see Santa Benarty was given a sweetie. Kevin has also put in a lot of hours working on the sleigh to make it look at its best for the street collection and visits to local groups and organisations."

Sadly, one of the founding members of the team, Gordon Mackie passed away earlier this year. Previously it was he who had made sure Santa's sleigh was in tip-top condition. His role in the team was invaluable and irreplaceable. 

As well as travelling to Edinburgh to visit Briony Clarke in hospital, the team went to The Gyle in Edinburgh to assist Nikki Slater, and the Benarty Christmas Appeal. 

The spokesperson explained: "Nikki got in touch to say that the Benarty Christmas Appeal was in desperate need of a large vehicle to pick up Christmas presents from the Forth 1 Cash For Kids Mission Christmas Appeal Hub at The Gyle in Edinburgh.

"She hadn’t had any response from various sources to get the use of a vehicle big enough to carry these much-needed Christmas presents.

"So Santa Benarty and crew once again boarded the 'Bay Travel Battle Bus' and off we went to visit the Volunteers at Forth 1 Mission Christmas at the Gyle.

"The elves and characters made a chain and passed all the presents from the hub into the lockers on the bus.

"This was the ultimate team effort and everyone played a part in this big task just to help make Christmas a little more special to some needy people."