It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at Aspens! Over the past few days, the people we support and our local community were treated to a festive extravaganza filled with joy, laughter and Christmas cheer.

On Friday, a special visitor made his way from Lapland to tour our residences at Pembury. Santa Claus himself, along with his cheery companion Stacey Starr-light, spread the magic of the season as they rang their bells and greeted everyone with warm smiles. Santa then settled into his cozy grotto, where he welcomed over 75 people we support.

From the moment they arrived, guests were transported to a winter wonderland, greeted by a flurry of seasonal ‘snow’ and our lovely donkeys. Inside the grotto, Santa gave each visitor a gift with the help of his friendly elves, Stacey Starr-light, and the ‘Toymaker.’ The joy on everyone’s faces and the sounds of laughter created a joyous atmosphere of pure magic.

The festivities continued on Saturday with our Festive Fun Day, held at Aspens, Pembury, to raise funds for our ongoing Festive Fundraiser, Ro Ho Ho for Roebuck. The fundraiser supports the expansion of our Roebuck Enterprises Day Opportunities Centre, to enable us to provide life-changing support to more autistic people.
This time, the event was open to the local community, and children were delighted to meet Santa, Toymaker, and the elves, as well as our charming donkeys and small animals. Families explored the pop-up Christmas shop, featuring beautiful handcrafted gifts made by the people we support, and browsed the Christmas trees available for purchase. The Bluebell Café team served up a delicious BBQ lunch, which was a big hit with visitors.

Adding to the festivities, the Sea Cadets band performed lively tunes, setting the stage for the lighting ceremony of our giant Christmas tree. Adorned with decorations made by the people we support, the tree was a wonderful sight. The celebrations continued with musical performances by Colin Gourlay and Katherine from Roebuck, as well as Rev Dan Foster from Pembury Baptist Church, who treated everyone to some festive favourites.

The event was a great example of community spirit, with tremendous support from local organisations. Tesco’s Pembury donated Santa’s gifts and sent their Community Champion, Yvonne, to help on the day; Metcalf Moat provided the fantastic giant Christmas tree and lights and Hospice in the Weald collaborated with us to promote their recycling services.Thanks to this incredible teamwork, the day was a resounding success, drawing large crowds and fostering a wonderful sense of togetherness.

As the festivities wound down, our CEO, Robbie Shanahan, embarked on the ultimate festive challenge: a Christmas Camp Out under the stars. In a shelter built by Nathan and Curtis from Aspens’ Forest School, Robbie and several others, including Katie, who is supported by Aspens and works in our Bluebell Café, braved the cold night to raise additional funds for the Roebuck Centre.

Despite the chilly temperatures, everyone made it through the night with spirits high, achieving remarkable success in their fundraising efforts. 

Reflecting on the weekend, Robbie Shanahan shared his heartfelt thanks:
“As we wrap up our first weekend of Christmas festivities, I want to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude to all who supported the events. Thank you to all who joined us on the Festive Fun Day and supported us by visiting Santa, buying a tree, a gift from our shop, or a burger from the BBQ. A huge thanks too to my fellow ‘campers’ and all those who so generously sponsored us. You’ve all made a difference to the lives of autistic people in doing so.
I’m enormously proud of the team here at Aspens, who have gone above and beyond to create a warm and joyful atmosphere for the people we support, our local community, and each other. Their hard work, creativity, and teamwork have truly exemplified the spirit of Acorns.” 

The weekend was a true celebration of inclusion, community, and festive cheer, and we’re so grateful to everyone who made it possible. 

To support Aspens’ Festive Fundraiser, Ro Ho Ho for Roebuck, click here.