Wigan and Leigh College students build Santa's Grotto at Haigh Woodland Park ahead of Christmas period

The grotto opened on November 26 and is available for bookings until December 22.

Level one carpentry and joinery, and painting and decorating students worked as a team to erect walls, fix skirting and decorate so Father Christmas can hand out gifts to local children this year.

Keith Bergman from the Park said: "This is the fifth year the College has supported us and the students always do a great job.

“They're very hard-working and skilled for young people. They've shown enthusiasm and teamwork and it's always a pleasure to have them on board.”

The college provided staff with a shopping list of the materials they needed.

From there, students have assembled timber frames, which can be disassembled and re-used every year.

A festive touch was added by the painting and decorating students, as they painted the walls and wallpapered the grotto.

They also had to work together to move Father Christmas’ chair up a flight of stairs, which required taking out and reassembling doors to fit it through.

Gareth Hill, Carpentry Lecturer at the College said: “Work experience is essential in becoming a carpenter or joiner as well as painter and decorator. It’s really important to work in the community and to keep developing the partnership with Haigh Woodland Park.”

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