Children and parents who have been supported by Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity received an early Christmas present from Edinburgh Trams and Gyle Shopping Centre with a special journey hosted by none other than Santa.

Excited children and their families lined the Gyle Tramstop this morning waiting for the ‘ding ding’ and to see Santa waving from the tram windows.  Then it was all aboard the Santa Express to St Andrews Square.

Santa spoke to each child in turn listening carefully to their story and making sure he had the right toys on his list for them.  Some worried adults also took the opportunity to double check that they were on the ‘Nice List’.  Edinburgh Trams goodie bags and selection boxes were handed out by helpful elves from the tramway.

This is the second year Edinburgh Trams have teamed up with Gyle Shopping Centre for the Santa Express which was extended this year to cover two days.  The event has once again proved to be a popular choice with tickets being sold out in under 12 hours.  Proceeds from tickets will be donated to Edinburgh Trams’ Charity of the Year, Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity.

Amy Ford, Corporate Fundraiser, Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “Christmas is a very special time of year and we work hard to make sure that children, young people and their families using the hospital during this time don’t have to miss out on the wonder and joy of the festive season.”

Ms Ford added: “We were thrilled to be chosen as Edinburgh Trams’ charity partner of the year this year and would like to say a huge thank you to them for their incredible ongoing support.  The Santa Tram is a lovely gesture and it was wonderful to see the children and their families meeting Santa, getting into the festive spirit and having lots of fun.”

Julie Smith, Assistant Communications Manager, Edinburgh Trams said: “We’ve had a fantastic year supporting Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity from our Tilly the Tram children’s book, storytelling events on trams, Oor Wullie’s Bucket Trail and now our Santa Tram Express.  This all helps raise awareness and underpins the important work the charity does to help families whose children are undergoing hospital treatment, letting them be children first and patients second.”

Andrew Cronie, Centre Manager, Gyle Shopping Centre said: “We were delighted to partner with Edinburgh trams for the second year running for the Santa Tram Express. It is a great event offering a unique Santa experience while raising money for an exceptional cause.”