Talent agency sends out desperate SOS for teachers, coaches to fill Santa’s big shoes amid WA shortage

WA is in the grip of a desperate Santa shortage, forcing providers to send out an SOS calling for teachers or sports coaches who have already been cleared to work with children to don the red suit.

With less than three weeks until Christmas, the talent agency providing most of Perth’s shopping centre Santas, Scene to Believe, said many had pulled out because of last-minute health problems.

At the same time, demand has skyrocketed for Santas at shopping centres and events across Perth.

“We’ve had some Santas dropping out because they’re having a hip replacement or a knee replacement, so right in the middle of the season, we’re really struggling to make it happen,” Scene to Believe’s Santa character manager Viviana Diaz said.

This was the first time the talent provider had tried actively recruiting teachers or coaches because they already had the required working with children check, which could take up to four weeks to process.

“We cannot wait for that,” Ms Diaz said. “So we’re trying to target teachers, coaches, people that do (have a working with children check).

“And also, knowing they’ve almost finished (school), they can have the availability for the last weeks of December.

“We’re reaching out to newsletters in schools. We have also been reaching out to communities, so community centres, Facebook pages, things like that, just to really get it to the right people.”

Ms Diaz said even though the agency had started the season with a full complement of 60 Santas for WA, it was now short at least 10.

The agency has also been contacting retired Santas who had hung up their suits, trying to coax them back to their thrones.

Ms Diaz said pressure was building as shopping centres extended their hours and pet photo sessions became increasingly popular.

“We’re having more people requesting (Santas) for events,” she said. “We have noticed an increase this year of people really wanting to go and visit Santa.”

A few weeks into his first season as a Santa, Roger Truslove is relishing the role — even though he has been asked to pick up extra shifts to cover the shortfall.

He loves seeing children’s faces light up with excitement as he walks through Karrinyup shopping centre ringing his bell, high-fiving toddlers and posing for selfies with teenagers.

The 71-year-old said he decided after he retired “for the third time” he was ready for a new career.

While wearing the suit could be hot and uncomfortable, he said it was difficult to describe how joyous the job could be.

“I was actually almost brought to tears today,” he said. “I had this family that was just magic, there was a little baby that wasn’t crying or screaming, it was just happy to be here.

“Maintaining the magic of Christmas for kids as long as possible is very satisfying.

“It’s as much about the parents as the kids, making sure the parents are on board and keeping the magic going.”

Brian Horton, 83, who trains prospective Santas at Santa school and has been playing the role himself for a decade, urged others to consider taking on the job of spreading Christmas cheer.

“People have to want to do it,” he said. “It just seems that people don’t think about being a Santa without being asked.”