Community spirit!

Students at Oakmead College of Technology have been sharing festive cheer with adults with learning disabilities in their north Bournemouth community.

Sixth formers at the Duck Lane school have been organising Christmas parties for Wallisdown Heights Day Centre for more than five years.

This year thirty students volunteered to raise funds for the party, prepared the food and entertainment and then joined their twenty-two guests at their school to ensure everyone had a good time.

In addition to Christmas fayre they played bingo and decorated gingerbread men.

“The students love getting involved with this and do absolutely everything for it,” said head of sixth form, Emma Biles. “It’s great for them to meet people of all abilities and they get so much out of it.”

Wallisdown Heights staff member, David Latimer, agreed. “Our clients love parties and going out and about. It’s also great for them to mix with young people in this way,” he said.