See Santa in his autism-friendly Grotto!

While Christmas is an absolute feast for the senses for many, all the stimulation can prove a little too much and quite traumatic for some – particularly for those with autism and other sensory conditions.

So, we’re thrilled to provide an autism-friendly grotto experience for our young shoppers this Christmas, following the successful pilot year in 2018.

This year’s autism-friendly Santa’s Grotto slots are…

• Sunday 1st December 10am – 12pm
• Tuesday 3rd December 3pm – 5pm
• Thursday 5th December 3pm – 5pm
• Sunday 8th December 10am – 12pm

During these sessions you will find:

• Busy / flashing festive lights turned off – only still lights or gentle glow lights will be in operation
• Bookable sessions to prevent the need to queue (for general grotto sessions it’s first-come, first-served)
• A limited number of bookings for each autism friendly event, so that everyone gets an equal amount of time with Santa, and there’s no overcrowding
• Adjusted lighting (where possible) to suit each child (some prefer dimmed lighting, some prefer the lights right up)
• Festive music turned off / down depending on your child’s needs
• Beards or any costume items that are triggers for individual children will be removed.

10 minute slots are bookable by emailing the centre team on: enquiries@vicarlane.com or calling Vicar 01246 234630 opt 2.

Tickets are just £6.50 per child and photos are available for £2 each. Card payments are accepted.