Staffordshire school spreads festive cheer
Staff and students at a Staffordshire school have been collecting gifts for a festive shoebox appeal.
The community at Cheslyn Hay Academy, on Saredon Road, are spreading some Christmas cheer to care home residents.
Each year, the school invites local residents into the school for a carol service, however, due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and restrictions this has not been able to go ahead as planned.
Instead, students decided they would take the festive spirit directly to residents and have been collecting gifts in shoeboxes for a number of weeks, hoping to bring a smile to those who may be unable to see their family members this year.
Hundreds of boxes have been collected by the kind hearted pupils.
The presents will be distributed to five nursing homes in Cheslyn Hay and Great Wyrley.
Kerry Collier, senior learning mentor and lead for coordinating charity events at the school, said: "We have collected more than 400 boxes which is just a phenomenal amount of people that we can have a positive impact on hopefully this winter.
"Our aim to to let these residents know that although they have had a very lonely and isolated year, they have not been forgotten about and there are many people thinking about them this Christmas."
"It shows our students that to have real compassion for others is something that is noticed and not taken for granted within our community."
Next week, the gift boxes will be delivered to the surrounding care homes in time for Christmas.
