Santa Visits at Home for Stratford Families Facing a Hard Christmas

Escape Arts, the community arts charity based in The Yard off Sheep Street, is asking people to nominate Stratford-area families for its Grotto-on-the-Go visits this December, when Santa, Mother Christmas and elves arrive at a family’s home in the charity’s converted arts van with presents for everyone. Nominations for Escape Arts Grotto-on-the-Go in Stratford close on Friday 13 November, the Stratford Herald reports, so there’s only a day left.

Who it’s for

The visits are for children and families who can’t easily go to a normal grotto, with its queues and crowds, or who are going through a hard time: bereavement, serious illness, disability, autism, mental ill health, family breakdown, caring for someone, or money worries. Escape Arts says each visit is planned around the family. As well as presents, families get festive food and supermarket vouchers. The van also calls at youth services, community groups and health settings, and the charity’s own page says Santa and his helpers visit wards at Warwick Hospital.

Anyone can put a family forward: relatives, neighbours, teachers, health workers and other organisations. This is the project’s tenth Christmas; it has run every December since 2016. Escape Arts says last year’s visits reached 70 local families, including 194 children.

How to nominate a family

• The nomination form is on Escape Arts’ Surprise Santa Visits page.
• Check the date: when we looked on 12 November, that page still showed last year’s form and closing date (Monday 10 November, 9am). The Herald’s report of 12 November gives Friday 13 November for this year. If you’re unsure, email the charity at info@escapearts.org.uk before the deadline.
• The visits happen through December.

How to help with gifts

Escape Arts is running a gift drive for new toys and presents, and says gifts for teenagers and parents are especially welcome. According to the Herald, the donation points are Tesco at the Maybird Centre and Morrisons; the charity’s page also lists the Escape Arts and Heritage Centre in The Yard (open on Fridays, 10am to 2pm). Partners helping to collect, wrap and hand out the gifts include Stratford Foodbank, Stratford Municipal Charities, Stratford Town Trust and Eco-Workshop.

For more ways to help and get help this Christmas, and everything else on in town, see our Christmas in Stratford-upon-Avon guide and our list of free holiday activities and lunches for children.

Alex Harrington

Alex Harrington grew up in Stratford-upon-Avon and runs What's up, Stratford? as an independent guide to the town.