Grotto grant gives Santa a permanent place to stop in South Yorkshire village

Father Christmas has a new, permanent place to stop in a South Yorkshire village thanks to a four-figure grant from a renewable energy firm.

The Brampton-en-le-Morthen Village Association stages an annual community Christmas event which has grown over the last few years, with this year’s event taking place last weekend in a decorated barn on Keith Bell’s farm on Wood Lane.

The Association has previously hired in an inflatable grotto in which Santa can meet all the village children and ask them what they are hoping to get for Christmas.

But now, thanks to a £1,359 grant from the community fund linked to OnPath Energy’s nearby Penny Hill Wind Farm, it has been able to buy its own 15 x 12-foot decorated inflatable grotto that it used for this year’s event and will have in future years.

All the children visiting the grotto received a selection box from Santa, while the local Salvation Army brass band played carols to help capture the Christmas spirit.

Sonia Brookes, treasurer at Brampton-en-le-Morthen Village Association, says: “Our Christmas event is always a lovely way for the village to come together, and as well as the children that live here, we also get the grandchildren, nephews and nieces of local people coming along to meet Santa Claus.

The village association puts on a very special Christmas event that the whole community enjoys and we’re very pleased to be able to help make it even better this year.”

“We’ve long wanted to be able to have our grotto for this event, as we knew it would save us money in the long run, but we haven’t been able to afford one up to now, so we’re really grateful to OnPath Energy for stepping in to support us.

“The new grotto has a lovely festive chimney and fire design inside.  Two of the village’s ‘elves’ were also dressed up and looked after the children as they wait their turn to see Santa.

“We had dozens of people coming in from across our community and it was lovely to be able to welcome Father Christmas into his new grotto.”

The Penny Hill Wind Farm Community Fund is ring-fenced to support community and environmental projects within the parishes of Aston, Thurcroft, Treeton, Ulley and Whiston.

Local organisations that have previously received funding from it including Ulley Sailing Club, Whiston Parish Council, the Friends of Ulley Country Park, Thurcroft Welfare Community Hall and the Ulley Millennium Trust.

Lynsey Stephenson, communication manager at OnPath Energy (formerly Banks Renewables), adds: “The Village Association puts on a very special Christmas event that the whole community enjoys and we’re very pleased to be able to help make it even better this year.”

Environmental and community projects in the vicinity of the Penny Hill Wind Farm which are interested in applying to itscommunity fund should first contact the fund manager via apply@onpathcommunityfund.co.uk or on 0191 378 6342 to confirm that their group or project is eligible.