A Reading-based garden room company has raised hundreds of pounds for charity after hosting a festive grotto for local families.
Kingdom Garden Rooms created a Christmas grotto at its Reading show site on 20 December, with a special appearance from Santa Claus.
Around 200 children and parents attended the event, with ticket sales and donations raising £745 on the day.
Visitors were treated to story time with Santa, presents for children and artificial snowfall, creating what organisers described as a “magical” experience.
This year’s chosen charity was Olly’s Work and the Olly Stevens Trust, which supports parents and carers in protecting children from online abuse.
Representatives from the charity, Amanda and Katy, attended the event and spoke to families about how the organisation helps concerned parents navigate online safety issues.
The grotto marked the fourth year Kingdom Garden Rooms has run the non-commercial community event, with a different charity supported each year.
Organisers said the response from families had been overwhelmingly positive, with one attendee describing it as “better than Fortnum & Mason’s Santa”.
Kingdom Garden Rooms said the event was about giving back to the local community while supporting causes that protect and support children and families.
