Lerwick RNLI donation after grotto success

Living Lerwick chairman Steve Mathieson handing over a cheque to RNLI Ladies Guild members Linda Simpson and Georgina Grant. Photo: Joanne Williams.

More than £3,000 has been donated to Lerwick RNLI after a record number of children attended the Living Lerwick grotto in December.

Festive cheer was brought to 361 bairns over two weekends at the grotto.

After a small percentage was given to Harry’s Department Store, to cover the cost of the gifts given to bairns, £3,300 was donated to the Lerwick RNLI. 

The Lerwick lifeboat crew played a role in bringing Santa to town for the Christmas lights switch-on.

Living Lerwick project manager Emma Miller said she was thrilled to see how much the grotto meant to the children. 

“Our little ones recognise that we have the real Santa, and he thoroughly enjoys his Lerwick grotto weekends as a special pre-Christmas break,” Ms Miller said.

“The support we get from the Lerwick lifeboat ladies is just fantastic, and we want to thank them very much for the time they put in to help raise this money for our local lifeboat, which delivers Santa each year to the parade.”

Ms Miller said she was also grateful to RSM UK for allowing the grotto to be placed in its premises.