BRITAIN’S longest serving Santa is celebrating his 60th year — and still has no plans to hang up his sack.
Ray Hulse, 78, has handed out thousands of gifts and raised more than £55,000 since standing in at a kids’ party in 1962 when he was just 18.
Ray Hulse, who is Britain’s longest serving Santa, started playing Santa aged just 18SWNS
Grandad-of-one Ray says the reason he dresses up as Santa is ‘to give children something I didn’t have’SWNS
The grandad-of-one has not missed a single year since — even carrying on through the pandemic lockdowns with socially distanced appearances.
Ray wears a home-made suit, plus vintage glasses and gloves and spends the festive season visiting schools, supermarkets and village halls, often on his custom sleigh with 300 LED lights.
Dad-of-three Ray, of Bridgnorth, Shrops, said: “There can’t be many in the world doing it for as long as I have.
“I’ve done it on horseback, in my car, I’ve raised money for charities and hospices. I go straight into character and stay in character.”
The retired tyre fitter explained: “The reason I do Santa is because I didn’t have the best life growing up. There were no photographs of me when we were younger and I had to give my wages over after working down the mines.
“I do this to give children something I didn’t have.
“The reward I get is to see the expressions on the kids’ faces and the sparkle in their eyes.”
Ray, who is supported by his wife Kathleen, 80, added: “As long as I’m capable I shall carry on going. I have no plans to slow down.”
For the past 30 years, Ray has been raising funds for Hope House Children’s Hospices, following the loss of his son Nicholas in 2012.