Santa is going to be busy in the next few weeks as he visits roads across the district - with a little help from St Albans and Harpenden Round Tables.

St Albans Round Table (SART) is aiming high this Christmas by setting a target to raise £15,000 for local charities as its float takes to the streets of St Albans and the villages throughout December.

Members will also take the float to the City station as well as planning a collection at Morrisons in Hatfield Road.

The Christmas float will take to the streets for the first time tomorrow, Thursday, December 4, in the Whitecroft area.

Further dates are Chiswell Green (5), Highfield (8), Townsend (9), Fleetville and City Station (10). Cottonmill (11), Marshalswick (13) Redbourn (14) London Colney (15), New Greens (16), Beech Bottom (17), Oakwood (18), Camp (19), St Stephens (20), City to Abbey (21) Redbourn (22) and St Michael’s (24).

SART raise money for local good causes through various routes but most famously with their annual Christmas float. Their most recent beneficiaries include The St Albans Bereavement Network, Kids’ Cancer Charity, Earthworks St Albans and The Living Room.

For the first time this year, SART can also accept donations by text message. Sending “SART14” followed by £1/£2/£5 to 70070 will donate straight to the group. Tax payers can then also give gift aid, adding another 25 per cent to their donation.

Current SART chairman, Adam Barnes, said: “Donating by text will allow the generous people of St Albans to donate even if they miss us going past their house or if they don’t have any cash to hand when we do our rounds.”

Part of the money collected allows SART to deliver Christmas hampers to more than 50 deserving people in the St Albans area.

When he is not busy in St Albans, Father Christmas will be touring Harpenden and visiting as many families as possible.

Harpenden Round Table has been running the Santa Collection for children’s charities for many years and this year the money raised will go to the Round Table Children’s Wish charity, The Sick Children’s Trust and the Ataxia-Telangiectasia Society.

Russell Husbands, chairman of Harpenden Round Table, said: “We are delighted to be supporting these fantastic charities; as always, we try to support charities that can really provide support for children in need of it and the families who care for them.”

In addition to his regular evening house to house sleigh ride, Santa will also be outside Sainsbury’s on Harpenden High Street from 10am to 2pm on December 21.

Russell added: “We always try to visit as many homes as possible but it is impossible to get to everyone, if you wish to find out where Santa will be, please visit our twitter account or come and meet Santa on the 21st in front of Sainsbury’s.”

To find out what days Santa will be visiting local roads go to http://www.harpenden.roundtable.co.uk/table-pages/santa-2014/ tweet @harpendenRT use the hashtag #HarpendenSanta.