Santa settles in at Linn Park

The southside play centre is for children with additional support needs, with indoor and outdoor facilities catering to wheelchair use, as well as sensory room for arts and crafts.

Knowing that a visit to Santa in commercial places can sometimes cause problems for the centre users, the Friends group kindly donated £500 to create a winter wonderland on home turf.

Treasurer Marian Wallace told The Extra: “FOLP donated £500 for materials to construct the grotto and for other essential accoutrements which will be able to be used for many years to come.

“Now, children with additional support needs will be able to visit Santa Claus in familiar surroundings, where there are staff who have a good understanding of the children’s reactions to an exciting situation.”

She added that the group are delighted that “many children children who have not been able to do so previously will have the opportunity to meet Santa and receive a present from him”.

Pictured are Santa with two of his elves (by day, one is also a committee member of Friends of Linn Park) and Lorraine McCabe, who runs the Adventure Playground.