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'Our free grotto means every child can meet Santa'

Anna Jameson,BBC North West Tonightand
Jenny Coleman,North West
News imageBBC Father Christmas, wearing a red and white coat, is sat on a silver chair talking to a boy with brown hair and a woman with dark hair.BBC
The free grotto runs at The Gate Community Centre in Page Moss, Knowsley

A woman who runs a free Christmas grotto in one of the county's most deprived areas said she was inspired after seeing the "extortionate" prices of grottos.

Rhiannon Canavan, from Page Moss in Knowsley, Merseyside said every child should be able to visit Santa.

"I'm from this area I live in it, I know the struggle that parents have at Christmas," she said.

"And the price of a grotto now is extortionate, so to put it on, free, it was a no-brainer."

News imageRhiannon Canavan has long brown hair and is wearing a purple polar neck jumper and a beaded necklace. She is stood in front of an illuminated display of penguins and a Christmas tree
Rhiannon Canavan said putting on a free grotto was "a no-brainer"

The grotto at The Gate Community Centre features illuminated snowmen, Christmas characters, elves and of course Santa.

"You can't go to many places and see something like this. It's one of the poorest areas in the country, and yet, it's wonderful," Rev John Ealey, of St Aloysius & St Dominic RC Church said.

And Ms Canavan said the work did not stop after Christmas.

She was also involved in a range of community groups in the area throughout the year including youth sessions, pensioner sessions, and employment courses.

"We're getting young people on the right track straight from school," she said.

"Then people who are coming on our employment courses, they've been right through all our kids clubs, and they're coming back to my grotto with kids of their own."

News imageA young boy in a dark hooded coat walks past a row of illuminated snowmen alongside an adult who is wearing a long, dark coat, backpack and jeans.
Rhiannon Canavan is described by local residents as "a community star"

One of the youth group members said Ms Canavan was "the best person I've ever come across".

"She just knows little things to say to us that just makes us feel better."

Another youth group member said:

"Rhiannon is like a mum to me, she does a lot for us, she leads us in the right way, in the right path."

She has been awarded a BBC North West Christmas Star award after being nominated by local resident Tricia Allan.

"She's just amazing," Ms Allen said.

"She keeps this centre and this community together. She never stops, never fails, no matter what day of the week it is.

"She truly is an amazing young lady who lives and gives everything to the whole community, she is our star."

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