GRIMM & CO: Apothecary to the magical… in Rotherham, South Yorkshire

Tucked away from a busy Rotherham high street is a place where magic, creative imaginings and fairytales come to life inside Grimm & Co. 

We were invited to Graham Grimm’s Apothecary on Doncaster Gate in Rotherham’s town centre – nestled between the shops and Clifton Park and, just a 10 minute walk from the train station. 

My kids, step-brother (who’s autistic) and I weren’t sure what to expect from the family blogging event held inside the magical shop – cum – learning/event space. 

My eldest Jasmine nervously knocked at the door and rang the bell.

As the door creaked open we were greeted by one of Graham Grimm’s team who welcomed us inside the enchanted venue. Immediately it felt as if we had been transported from a bustling town centre and into a magical storybook. 

The team led us mortals around the shop showcasing all the magical things before helping us to discover a secret door. 

Once through the door, we well and truly had arrived into today’s magical adventure. The team were all so friendly and fully remained in character as they showed us up the storybook staircase and into the room which was at the top of Jack’s Beanstalk. 

The workshop area was lush with greenery, extracts from stories and other magical instruments. 

This is where Grimm & Co, who are a charity, host workshops for groups of young people and schools. And if there was ever a place that could inspire a love of literature, creative writing and inspire a child’s imagination, it is here. 

Not only that the team were also well equipped to engage with my brother who has special needs too. And for me as someone who is dyslexic, I loved how such a welcome environment made reading, drawing and writing so accessible. 

As a family we went around the different craft tables, writing letters, creating fairy doors, drawing and finishing story books with our own imagination and writing. 

It was great to see staff who are so well versed in children and their needs and this kept the magic flowing. After some drinks and snacks, it was time to go back downstairs to the little library where the kids could pick a book. But it wasn’t a case of going back down the staircase, this time my daughters could slide down the beanstalk to return to where we had started.

The kids and I enjoyed rummaging through the many books in the little library /reading area. It was great to see how enthused they had become over picking a book (I’ll admit I had been having to force them to have a bedtime story of late). 

I then got distracted by all the weird and wonderful concoctions on offer in the shop and I couldn’t help but buy several gifts, also it was great to know that the money goes to support such a fabulous charity. 

In the end I had to prize my daughters away from the library and shop as we had to get to the train station to catch the new tram between Rotherham and Sheffield. 

Once, we had left Grimm & Co it was a surprise back to reality and into the town centre. 

We would definitely visit again when they run workshops during the school holidays. We may even tie it in with a trip to Clifton Park as that is so close and such a fun place if the weather is nice. 

We travelled from Wakefield, West Yorkshire to Rotherham by train. Then we returned to see my family so caught the new tram between Rotherham and Sheffield, South Yorkshire which made the trip super easy and affordable.