Squire's recently released the following press release after inviting CLASP supporters to meet Santa!
Issued: 26th November 2024
SQUIRE’S WOKINGHAM WELCOMES CHARITY TO OPEN MAGICAL GROTTO
Above: Debs Morrison from CLASP (back left) with Ben Hack, Assistant Manager, Squire’s Wokingham (centre) and friends and family of CLASP, attending the official unveiling of Squire’s Wokingham’s Magical Grotto.
Squire’s Garden Centres in Wokingham was delighted to welcome CLASP this week, when the charity’s supporters arrived to officially unveil the centre’s Magical Christmas Grotto – and importantly to be the first visitors to meet Santa!
Last weekend saw the opening of 10 magical grottos at Squire’s, making this year’s festive season bigger and brighter! Each Grotto was officially opened by the centre’s ‘Charity of the Year’, with young supporters joining in the festive fun just as spirit of the special season really comes to life – and coinciding with freshly cut Christmas trees arriving at the centre as well as Christmas lunches about to be served too.
Attending the official opening of the grotto affirms CLASP as the centre’s Charity of the Year as the grottos will also be raising some important funds for the organisation, with £1 from every child’s ticket sold going directly to the charity.
Sarah Squire, Chairman of Squire’s Garden Centres, comments: “Christmas is a time of magic, joy, and giving, and it’s wonderful to see our Grottos opening across so many of our centres this year. It has been an honour to welcome our charity partners to help us celebrate the start of the Christmas season and provide them with the opportunity to talk with our customers about their important work in our communities.
“We know that visiting Santa at Squire’s is a treasured tradition for many families, and we are thrilled that even more young visitors will be able to experience the magic this year—all while supporting truly worthwhile causes in our local communities.”
Debs Morrison from CLASP comments: “It was such a magical experience for the children to be the very first visitors to Santa’s Grotto at Squire’s CLASP this year. They had so much fun meeting Santa and his cheerful elves, and it’s clear that some truly special memories were made. We’re very grateful to Squire’s for inviting us to take part in this festive tradition and for their wonderful support of our charity this year.”
Santa will be welcoming children to his Grotto until 24th December, with each visit including a warm greeting from Santa’s jolly elves, a chat with the man himself, a wrapped gift, and a special ‘I’ve Seen Santa’ badge. Visitors can pay on the day of visit with tickets costing £9 per child, with the first two adults free (£1 per additional adult*), representing great value for money.
Opening times: Grottos are open from Saturday (23 Nov), with breaks between 12:30 pm-2:00 pm for Santa to take a nap!
Squire’s invites families to join in the festive fun, make magical memories, and help support wonderful local charities.
Squire’s Magical Grotto Opening Times – 23 Nov-24 Dec
Dates | Times |
Every Saturday & Sunday | Saturdays - 9.30am-4pm Sundays – 10.30am-4pm |
Friday 20th December | 9.30am-4pm |
Monday 23 December & Christmas Eve | 9.30am-4pm |
*Maximum group size is 5
Notes to Editors
1. Squire’s Magical Grottos are taking place at Badshot Lea, Crawley, Frensham, Milford, Shepperton, Stanmore, Washington, West Horsley, Woking and Wokingham
Excludes Squire’s Reigate, Chertsey, Cobham, Long Ditton, Twickenham & Hersham
2. CLASP – for further information on CLASP, please visit the website https://www.claspwokingham.org/
ENDS
Media Contact For further information and images please contact: Victoria Broughton, PR Manager M: 07546 307639 E: pr@squiresgardencentres.co.uk
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About Squire’s Garden Centres
Squire’s Garden Centres is a successful family-owned horticultural business that serves the local community. There are 16 Squire’s Garden Centres to discover across Surrey, Sussex, Berkshire, North and West London. Customers can also shop online for local delivery within a 5-7 mile radius of their garden centres.
The business was founded by D.J. Squire in 1936, initially as a landscape gardening business which then developed into one of the first garden centre businesses in the UK when Squire’s in Twickenham opened in 1964. Since then, the company has become one of the best success stories in the industry, remaining in the Squire family under the leadership first of D.J.’s son Colin Squire OBE – who is still actively involved in the business – and, today, Colin’s daughter Sarah Squire who is Chairman.
Squire’s offers a wide range of quality plants and garden products together with an extensive selection of garden furniture, houseplants and gifts. They continue their drive towards customer excellence with their highly qualified and experienced horticultural staff, on hand to help with plant related questions.
All centres have free parking, and a Café Bar serving breakfast, drinks, snacks, lunch and afternoon tea. Four centres also have extensive pets and aquatics departments - at Squire’s in Badshot Lea, Twickenham, Stanmore, Washington. West Horsley has aquatics only.
Squire’s has close connections with schools and the local community – with a particular passion for encouraging new generations of gardeners through a year-round programme of workshops for all ages and abilities. Squire’s also supports various local charities, which are chosen each year by staff at the different centres.
In 2022, Squire’s acquired Barnsfold Nurseries, based in Horsham and a long-standing supplier of bedding plants to the business, marking a return to offering more home-grown plants.
Squire’s is at the forefront of developing best practice and innovation in the UK garden centre industry, and regularly wins industry awards, including:
Garden Centre Association (GCA) Awards
● “Best Plant Area” Ruxley Rose Award (Hersham 2023, Twickenham 2016 & 2015)
● “Best Food Hall/Farm Shop Award” – (Frensham 2023)
● “GROW” Training Award (Crawley 2022 & Reigate 2021)
● “Outdoor Living Award” – North Thames Region (Stanmore 2022)
● “The Dick Allen Award for Most Improved Garden Centre (Milford 2022)
● “Best Christmas Display” – North Thames Region (Stanmore 2021)
● Worrall Cup for “Best Marketing Campaign” (2020)
● “Best Outdoor Living” & “Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer” (Hersham 2020)
● “Garden Centre of the Year” - South Thames Region (Hersham 2021 & 2019)
● “Garden Centre of the Year” - North Thames Region (Shepperton 2019)
Garden Trade News Greatest Christmas Awards
· “The Greatest Group Garden Centre Christmas Team” (Badshot Lea 2020)