County High School in Bury St Edmunds opens its doors to the community for a Christmas party
Guests have had an ‘amazing’ time at a community Christmas party hosted by County High School in Bury St Edmunds.
The event for over-60s was attended by more than 70 people from the New Bury Community Centre, in Bury, and Barrow Over 60s’ Club.
Held at the school, in Beetons Way, on Wednesday, the event brought joy and festive cheer to guests.
Students and staff across the school prepared for the event, baking cakes and sausage rolls in food lessons, writing poems for Christmas cards in English, decorating the venue, and organising a sing-along to entertain everyone.
In order to fund-raise for the community party, the school held a sponsored Santa fun run on Monday and a Christmas jumper day on the same day.
Each guest was presented with a Christmas gift, generously donated by students and their families, and there was even a visit by Santa.
Nigel Wolstenholme, who attended the party with his wife Sue, said it was ‘amazing’.
Mr Wolstenholme, who is connected to the New Bury Community Centre, said: “Everybody got a present and everybody got a personal handmade card with a rhyme in. It was brilliant. The different years sang different carols and we all sang carols in a finale at the end. It was excellent.”
On Facebook, Barrow Over-60s praised the event, saying they were even taken by minbuses from the village hall to the school.
“What a great afternoon we had, everything was perfect,” the post read, adding the students were ‘a credit to the school’.
County High School headteacher Sally Kennedy said: “We were delighted to open our doors to the local community.
“Our wonderful students entertained our guests and really enjoyed chatting with them and participating in a sing-song that got us all in the Christmas mood.
“We will now be building this into our school calendar and making it an annual event. Our visitors brought so much to our students, the experience was memorable to all.”
Plans already under way for more events in the New Year.
