PUPILS at a local school are helping to spread festive cheer amongst the elderly and lonely in the run up to Christmas.

Fulneck School in Pudsey has been preparing hampers of non-perishable food, toiletries and clothing donated by pupils and parents in support of local charity Richmond Hill Elderly Action.

RHEA works to improve the quality of life for older people in the Richmond Hill area of Leeds. They focus particularly on those who are frail, disabled and socially isolated and provide services and life enhancing activities in partnership with volunteers, to meet the needs identified by older people themselves.

Darrell Xavier, Operations Manager at RHEA, said: ‘What a wonderful thing for the pupils, staff and all those associated with Fulneck School to be doing. Unfortunately Christmas can be a very lonely time for some people but these hampers will show them that people do genuinely care about their well-being.

"A lot of thought has clearly gone into this and the efforts of the boys and girls will definitely be appreciated by those who we have already identified to receive the hampers."

The hamper initiative was devised and coordinated by Fulneck School’s Charity Committee, made up of Year 11 and sixth form pupils, and is one of a number of charitable activities undertaken by the school each year.

Throughout the current academic year the school is hoping to raise over £3,000 for the Children’s Heart Surgery Fund which supports the Leeds Congenital Heart Unit at the Leeds General Infirmary. A non-uniform day raised over £500 for Children in Need. Other charities which have been supported in previous years include Yorkshire Cancer Research and Shine.

Charity Committee member Archie Sunderland, said: "Charity is a major part of the school’s ethos and it is extremely rewarding to know that through our actions we are helping to make the lives of other people better."