SHOPPERS at the intu Uxbridge centre embraced the Christmas spirit as its grotto raised £4,377 for HALO Children’s Foundation.

This sum brings the total collected for HALO during 2018 to £6,356.

intu Uxbridge donated every penny of the grotto’s profits to its charity of the year, HALO, which supports local children and their families after the loss of a loved one.

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Over the festive period, 1,632 children, (plus 266 under-twos) and adults visited the grotto.

Santa, who spent 105 hours on his throne, gave out 1,898 gifts from his wintry Gingerbread House. Each had been individually wrapped by the intu Uxbridge team. 

Alia Jones, chief executive of HALO, told staff: “It will make a huge difference to bereaved children and their families. We have been blown away by what you have done for us.”