On Friday 19th December, eight determined Santas took to their bikes, pedalling 19 miles around Rochdale to raise vital funds for Petrus. So far, their efforts have already raised more than £700 to support people facing homelessness this winter.
Petrus works with people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness across Rochdale, Oldham and Burnley. This winter alone, we have already provided almost 2,500 food interventions, including hot meals, food bank vouchers and emergency food parcels, all without any dedicated funding for food. Every donation helps ensure that no one is left without support when they need it most.
The Santa Cycle team included our Managing Director Sonia Denham, who recently celebrated an incredible 20 years with the charity, alongside long‑serving support worker Edmund Clout, who has also dedicated two decades to Petrus. They were joined by a brilliant group of support workers and service managers; all putting aside their usual roles to don Santa suits and bring some festive joy to the people we support
Along the route, the team visited several Petrus supported housing projects, bringing smiles, encouragement and a bit of Christmas magic to service users along the way.
The fundraiser may be over, but there’s still time to support the team’s efforts. Every contribution helps Petrus continue providing essential, life‑changing support throughout the winter months.
If you’d like to donate, you still can and your generosity will make a real difference.