'Reverse grotto' in Wrexham where you can help provide for those in need this Christmas

  • Watch the video report by ITV Wales reporter, Rob Shelley.

A country estate in North Wales is putting a spin on the traditional Christmas grotto, by offering visitors the chance to help someone in need.

The National Trust's Erddig estate in Wrexham is running a "reverse grotto", where visitors are asked to bring Santa a donation for a local food bank.

The idea is that children can "give at Christmas as well as receiving" by helping families who are in need.

David Paton, Erddig's Father Christmas said with the current cost of living crisis, this years reverse grotto more relevant than ever. "The lovely thing is that people can give at Christmas as well as receiving." He said.

Erddig's "reverse grotto" is collecting donations for Wrexham foodbank.

"It's probably the most pertinent year of the years that we've done it actually with the rising costs of things and people might go without."

In the years that the reverse grotto has been running, two tonnes of donations have been given to Wrexham foodbank.

Oliver Taylor, National Trust, Erddig said: "It's the kind little innocent gestures of people that do make a difference, so while we do reply on bigger external forces to help us, it's the little things like bringing in a cereal box or a chocolate bar, or some soup. They're the little things that change the world."

Erddig's reverse grotto is running from 3 to 18 December.