A GWYNEDD-BASED Santa scheme provided presents to children at Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor over Christmas.

The Santa scheme received a £250 grant in Police Mutual’s national­ community sponsorship programme, Force for Good.

The scheme is one of eight community projects in the north Wales force area to receive charitable contributions from Police Mutual, totalling £2,950.

North Wales Police community support officer, Richard Pepper, initiated the scheme as he believes it will provide happiness for children who cannot be at home during the Christmas period.

The scheme worked with local­ stores to supply children with presents and police community support offices visited children in the hospital to talk to them about being a police officer and took their fingerprints.

They also spoke to parents about crime prevention techniques such as UV marking high value goods and property and bike registrations.

Stephen Mann, chief executive of Police Mutual, said: “We came up with Force for Good because we wanted to give the police family the power to identify and reward causes they feel improve lives.

“We have been staggered and delight­ed by both the quantity and quality of entries received. We are confident this initiative will bring communities together as a force for good.

“The £250 grant from Police Mutual will be used to obtain gifts for children and crime prevention items for the local community.”

In addition to the generous grant from the Police Mutual Society, further funds were made available through PACT. Local businesses also assisted with the provision of gifts.

PCSO Pepper added: “As a result of everyone’s generosity we have been able to make Christmas a little bit more enjoyable for children who spent their Christmas in hospital.”