Northampton soft play centre creates impressive festive grotto for children in hospital to virtually meet Santa

A Northampton soft play centre is now home to an impressive festive grotto specifically for children in hospital during the Christmas period.

Staff at The Riverside Hub have made a grotto complete with plenty of lights and a throne for Santa to sit on.

The grotto is specifically for children who are patients at Northampton General Hospital during the festive period and who cannot visit Santa this year.

A live stream will be set up so Santa, who will be at The Hub, can talk to children in hospital in a bid to spread some Christmas joy.

Owner of Riverside Hub, Ellis Potter, said: “We were approached by the hospital as were many local businesses to see if we could donate any decorations as they wanted to create a lodge for virtual meetings with Father Christmas.

“We wanted to help so we asked if they wanted us to do the whole lodge here as a Christmas grotto.

“My wife Valentina designed the whole thing, we built the setting and decorated it, and it looks wonderful.

“We usually do fundraising for the hospital, but this year has been a mad year so it’s nice to be able to do something of benefit to the children and put a smile on their faces at a special time of year.

“To be in hospital at Christmas is awful for children and their parents who will be at home missing them, so if we are able to make their day in hospital, then everyone wins.”

The Hub has also been running a separate Christmas grotto for families who are able to make it down to the soft play centre, which has been extremely popular and has sold out.

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