Santa will be bringing Christmas cheer to Cheltenham next month as he invites Gloucestershire children to meet him at John Lewis & Partners Cheltenham, in support of Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice.

Father Christmas is giving up his precious time to meet with children at the John Lewis Cheltenham store in the hope of raising vital funds so the hospice's care teams can be there for more local families, helping them fill their final days with love.

'Meet Santa' takes place on Saturday 11th December at 9.30am and 4pm and Sunday 19th December at 9.30am and 11am.

It won't be the first time Santa has made a special visit to the store in support of Sue Ryder. Over the past three years Santa's support has helped raise £2,780 for the families needing care of the Gloucestershire hospice, while sharing Christmas greetings with an estimated 300 children and their families in that time.

Sarah Lewis, events and marketing partner at John Lewis Cheltenham, said: "Christmas at John Lewis Cheltenham wouldn't be complete without a visit from Santa and this year we are delighted to welcome him back into our shop once again for some very special café sessions.

"Children will be greeted by the elves in our festive Place to Eat and enjoy a gingerbread biscuit and juice presented in their own special Christmas bag to take home.

"As well as meeting Santa, they will also have the chance to deliver their Christmas letters by hand."

The cost of the festively fun sessions is £15 per child, with half of the income going to Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice.

"Santa is always very popular," Sarah adds. "So make sure you book early to avoid disappointment by contacting our experience desk team during opening hours on 01242 544042 or simply popping into the store."

Alysia Cameron-Price, community fundraising manager at Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice, said: "At Sue Ryder we believe that the end of someone's life is the most important time of their life. Our care teams do all they can to make room for the things that matter to a patient - like spending time with loved ones, sharing stories, jokes and memories, and filling their final days with love.

"It's truly fitting that our great friends and supporters John Lewis & Partners Cheltenham and Santa will be helping to raise vital funds so someone can experience as much comfort and joy as possible at the end of their life, while creating special memories for local families this Christmas too."

With figures showing every 4.5 minutes someone in the UK dies without the specialist end of life care they need, national healthcare charity Sue Ryder, which runs Leckhampton Court Hospice in Gloucestershire, is asking people to back an appeal to help them be there for more families when it matters.

Donations to the appeal will enable Sue Ryder to deliver the expert and compassionate palliative care they are so well known for. Helping to manage symptoms as well as give advice on the practicalities, so that patients and their families can place their focus on filling their final days together with love.

For more information and to donate, visit www.sueryder.org/careatchristmas 

For more information on Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice visit www.sueryder.org/leckhampton