A children’s hospice charity has benefited from a Santa’s Grotto created by a garden centre and run by Kirkby Rotary Club.

At the Reuben Shaw & Sons garden centre in Moor Green, the club presented a cheque for £2,000 to Emma Vizor, chief fundraiser at the Sheffield-based Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice.

In the four weekends leading up to last Christmas, around 800 children visited the grotto, which was set up and decorated by garden centre staff, with Santa, his helper elves and children’s presents provided by Kirkby Rotarian.

Ms Vizor said: “We have now received donations totalling £9,500 from the club over the past three years.

“This massive contribution makes a huge difference to our work of offering care and support to children with a shortened life expectancy and their families”.

Roger Pursey, president of the club, said: “The 2014 grotto was a superb success.”

He presented the garden centre’s owner, Reuben Shaw, with the club’s Certificate of Appreciation.

Pictured are Reuben Shaw, Emma Vizor and Roger Pursey with Santa Claus.