Students host carers' Christmas party

RGS sixth form students enjoyed putting on a fun-filled festive tea party with live entertainment to give local carers a break 

GENERATIONS came together over music and laughter when Ripon Grammar School sixth form volunteers put on a fun-filled festive party for local carers.

More than 40 teenagers wanted to give hard-working carers and their loved ones a break from their normal routine.

They rallied round to serve sandwiches, cakes, buns and scones with strawberries and cream, and enjoyed spending time talking with their 25 guests.

Students from our senior choirs provided entertainment, with everyone joining in Christmas carols, while one banjolele-playing visitor, carers' charity volunteer, Charles, had the whole room singing along to The Whole World in His Hands and She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain.

Organised as part of RGS Sixth Form’s Plus One enrichment programme, working alongside the Carers' Resource charity, students said they enjoyed themselves just much as their visitors and gained a lot from the experience.

Those who weren’t singing or entertaining guests worked on car parking duty and as greeters and guides or on preparing and serving food, decorating the room and organising a raffle.

Carers' Resource worker Jillian Miller said: "The confidence and maturity shown by students was overwhelming and helped the afternoon to flow smoothly.

"This proved to be the perfect pre-festive occasion and I would like to extend my thanks to deputy head of sixth form Helen Nelson and the entire team of students for all their efforts in executing a really lovely event." 

RGS Plus One coordinator Mrs Nelson added: “We’ve had fabulous feedback from guests about how much they enjoyed the carols and how much they enjoyed chatting to students, this was especially appreciated by those visitors who live on their own.”

Carers who attended praised the students: "The sixth formers were a credit to the school, we had a very nice afternoon and left feeling really good," said one.

"It was a most enjoyable and really well-organised afternoon, my husband had such a good time & much appreciated the students talking to him about his working life and was able to recall the event fondly the following day," added another.