Roddensvale pupils in Santa’s homeland

Jack Rodgers MBE, Chairman NI Children to Lapland and Days to Remember Trust accepts a £200 cheque from Roddensvale School Principal Mr Madden and pupils (archive pic). INLT 21-231-AM

The seven local pupils departed last Wednesday on the one-day “Fantasy Flight” with the Northern Ireland Children to Lapland Trust.

The Carrickfergus-based charity organises an annual visit to Lapland for terminally ill, long-term ill and deserving children, along with their parents and carers.

A total of 218 people from across Northern Ireland took part in this year’s Fantasy Flight, including 108 children, according to NICLT chairman Jack Rogers.

“It was a super day; both the kids and adults really enjoyed it,” said Jack, from the Larne area.

After flying from Belfast International to Finland’s Rovaniemi Airport, the children were taken to the indoor Santapark.

The massive underground venue was formerly a nuclear bunker.

The dream come true trip included a range of winter-themed activities, including reindeer rides, sleigh rides and sledging, plus a visit to an ice gallery, an elf workshop, and Mrs Claus’s Gingerbread Bakery.

It was all topped off with a meeting with Santa Claus himself.

It is the third time that Roddensvale School has taken part in the Lapland trip, with many of those taking part from the east Antrim area.

As has been the case in previous years, fundraising for the Trust’s trip was right up to the wire, according to the chairman.

“Most people would think of us as a Christmas charity, but everything has to be booked in advance; we’re always fundraising right up until the flight and even after it.”

One of the main contributors to the Children to Lapland Trust fund was last month’s Walk to Scotland event.

The venture sees participants generate sponsorship by walking a designated circuit around the Stena Line ferry as it sails from Belfast to Scotland.

Walkers were treated to a meal and entertainment afterwards.

“It was the third year of Walk to Scotland and we had 150 people take part, which was double what we had originally,” added Jack.

Northern Ireland Children to Lapland Trust has been operating the annual Fantasy Flight since 2006.

In recent years, the charity has complemented the winter Lapland trip by running the ‘Days to Remember’ summer excursion to Disneyland in Paris.

For more information on the charity, visit www.niclt.org/contact-us/ or search Children to Lapland Trust on Facebook.