CHILDREN from Charford First School have been spreading festive cheer by giving cards and presents to elderly residents living in retirement housing.

The youngsters are taking part in a Christmas school project ran by Bromsgrove’s largest provider of affordable housing, Bromsgrove District Housing Trust (BDHT).

BDHT gave the students bags and cards to decorate as well as small torches to give to the residents as presents.

Around 30 Year 4 pupils from the school visited Gilbert and Edwin Court in Charford where they handed out the presents and sang carols.

Hannah Ross, communities first officer at BDHT, said: “The children really enjoyed getting out into the community and spreading some Christmas cheer.

“The residents also love to hear them sing and we are really grateful for the visit. It’s lovely to see them with smiles on their faces when the children visit. It’s a great community partnership.”

Anita McLaren, headteacher at Charford First School, said: “We’re really pleased to be involved in BDHT’s Christmas School Project.

“The children love decorating the cards in advance and it’s really important to us as a school to encourage our pupils to value the community they live in and be able to offer something back. O

“Our children also love to sing, so for them to be able to go out and have a good sing-song is a real treat. We’re really happy to say that we’ll be supporting the project going forward as it’s a really important community event.”

Both Gilbert and Edwin Court are run by BDHT.