Kirkcaldy Santa helping to raise cash for children's cancer charity

A grandad from Kirkcaldy is raising funds for children’s cancer charity, Young Lives vs Cancer, by dressing up as Santa and having his picture taken with fans young and old.
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Jock Allan (71) has been putting on the red suit and hat for several years now to raise funds after visiting the Royal Hospital for Sick Children when a family member fell ill.

Jock not only imitates Father Christmas to raise cash for worthy causes, but also organises other fundraisers throughout the year.

In July he generated over £1000 in a sponsored haircut.

Wetherspoons staff Calum Todd and Dana Paterson with local regular Jock Allan as Santa raising money for charity. Pic: Fife Photo Agency.Wetherspoons staff Calum Todd and Dana Paterson with local regular Jock Allan as Santa raising money for charity. Pic: Fife Photo Agency.
Wetherspoons staff Calum Todd and Dana Paterson with local regular Jock Allan as Santa raising money for charity. Pic: Fife Photo Agency.
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He said: “So far I have raised around £350 from my Santa pictures this year.

"I go into Wetherspoons everyday at 6:00pm for a couple of pints of cider and put on my Santa suit and if someone wants a picture I ask them to donate £1.

"I’ve been a regular there for about 12 years and I think I have raised somewhere around £1200 dressed as Father Christmas.”

Jock got the idea to raise cash for kids after talking to a nurse in the sick kids hospital in Edinburgh.

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"My son’s stepdaughter landed in the hospital and when we went to visit there was this young boy who was very ill. The nurse told me that no one ever visited him.

“This really tugged on my heart strings and that was when I decided that I was going to try to help bairns who were ill.

"A lot of people try to buy me drinks, but I tell them to put the price of a pint into the donation box as I want to try to raise as much as possible - and I only have two pints of Magners anyway.”

Jock is already planning his next fundraiser for next Easter by dressing up as one of the characters people thinks he looks like.

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"I’m thinking about dressing up as Uncle Albert from Only Fools and Horses next year,” he said.

“People come up to me all of the time and say “you look like Santa” or “you look like Captain Birdseye” – I even have people pulling on my beard to see if it’s real!”

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