Waking up every day in a winter wonderland may seem like a dream but it could soon be a reality for many.
A small town called Glommersträsk in Lapland, Sweden, is offering £736 to families who relocated there.
Lapland, which is synonymous with winter, is popular for its beautiful high mountains that get covered with snow, ensuring that the region has a white Christmas pretty much every year.
A financial incentive for families to move to a small village in the region is being offered due to the fact that there has been a sharp decline in school-aged children, causing the local primary school to be at risk of closing.
The current population of Glommersträsk is 200, which is 800 less than what it was over 70 years ago. Out of that number, only 23 are primary school children.
The local council’s requirement is that if an institution’s student body drops to below 25, it could be forced to close. Students would then have to attend the nearest school in Arvidsjaur, around 40 kilometres away.
Back in 2009, the village’s only high school closed after it was left with only 18 students in 2007.
Because of this, a local organisation called Glommersbygdens which translates to ‘The Future of Glommersbygden’ is offering 10,000 kronor (around £736) to the first five families who relocate to the village.
The organisation will also assist the families in finding housing and employment.
To be eligible, families must have children who are aged between 6 – 15 years old, who will attend the local school for a minimum of one academic year.
A spokesperson for the Glommersbygdens Framtid described the village as a “safe space where your children can grow up in a nice community” and the opportunity as “the chance of a lifetime.”
One family has already applied to the scheme, and another has relocated to Glommersträsk, the spokesperson shared that the organisation are hoping there will be more.
