Huge demand for 'warm' SEND-friendly grotto

A Santa's grotto for those with special needs saw "huge demand" this year, organisers said.

Hull-based charity Special Stars Foundation, which provides opportunities for people with physical or learning disabilities, said the event was fully booked within 40 minutes.

Kirstie took her seven-year-old twins Esmai and Pennie to the event at the city's Princes Quay Shopping Centre on Saturday. Both girls have autism.

She said traditional festive events are "often quite busy and overwhelming" for her daughters, but this session was "lovely, warm and welcoming".

Kirstie, who lives in Burton Agnes, praised the host of other events run by the charity.

She said: "If the children are having a bad day, you're never judged for it, ever. And they don't even bat an eyelid - they just crack on like it's normal, because it is normal for us.

"That's what being a parent or family with children with special needs is all about."

For Hull's Jim and Jayne Geall, whose daughter Lilly-Rose, 24, has multiple and profound disabilities, the charity has been "a godsend".

Ms Geall said even though Lilly-Rose "does not understand what Christmas is as such", she knows it is something special and "likes all the stuff that's going on".

Lilly-Rose met Father Christmas in his grotto.

The couple's other daughter, Tia, 18, who also had disabilities, died in August.

Discussing the charity's impact on Tia, Ms Geall said: "We'd say in the morning, 'Special Stars today' and she would giggle all the way into town. She just absolutely loved it."

The charity also held a "beautiful" celebration of Tia's life, complete with photographs and balloons.

Mr Geall said: "I think we'd have been lost without them as well. They've been an absolute godsend to us."

Louise Miles, the charity's chief executive, said the grotto was "about creating an experience for people to really enjoy and something that maybe they wouldn't be able to otherwise access".

She added: "We've had a number of parents welling up and thanking us."

Ms Miles said the charity has "huge demand" for events like the grotto, which are "fully booked and filled up very, very quickly."

This summer, the charity had more than 400 applications for an 80-space trip to the Yorkshire Wildlife Park.

Ms Miles added: "We put on extra events as well, but we desperately need funding to do that."

The charity has now launched its Star Campaign to help raise funds for more activities and events.

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