A winter wonderland is set to give the people of Barnsley a chance to get swept up in the festivities at a pay-what-you-can event.
Jordan Gray is looking to bridge the gap and get as many people to get into the festive spirit as he can.
He said: “Everybody deserves to be happy, and I want to be the person to do that for them”.
As well as being a social media sensation, Mr Gray is a top-level security guard, protecting celebrities such as Luke Littler, Conor Benn and Pierce Brosnan with Lyons Den Security.
Gray’s Winter Wonderland will have raffles and stalls, and the money raised will be donated to the Barnsley Hospital charity, with all other donations and and a Gofundme going towards gifts for the people of Barnsley.
The event will be taking place at The New Inn, Gawber, with activities such as gingerbread decorating and reindeer food making on offer to entertain those in attendance.
With the ever-increasing cost of living, it is becoming harder for the people of Barnsley to see Santa.
The event has been paid out of pocket by Mr Gray, with him spending more than £1000 on gifts to give to people who are coming to the event.
He was shocked by the number of donations he has received, calling it “absolutely crazy.”
He said “It’s been a fantastic turnaround from the community.”
Special Educational Needs sessions will also be put on, as Mr Gray said: “I want it to be inclusive for everybody, and a nice environment for all the SEN adults and children and provide them with the Christmas magic that every family deserves.”
Local businesses will also be in attendance as they sell their homemade wares, with visits from Danny Malin, who co-hosts the “Ay Up Listen ‘ere” podcast with Mr Gray.
Since announcing the event, Mr Gray has had upwards of 150,000 comments and over 2.5 million views across his socials.
He said: “I’m overwhelmed by the support that people have given me to create something magical for the people of Barnsley.”
Mr Gray got the inspiration for the event after attending Lapland UK with his wife and two daughters.
He planned his Winter Wonderland in just three days after realising “there’s so many children and families out there that haven’t seen Santa this year”.
With the new youth facility in the town centre set to open in January, Barnsley is providing opportunities and spaces for young people to thrive, and Mr Gray is looking to add to that with his event.
He said: “It’s nice to see Barnsley get on board someone like myself who’s trying to do the greater good, this is just the beginning from my myself to provide Barnsley with what they need, which is good times and magical moments.”
