AN Oldham care home has been touched by heart-warming donations after a receiving a large donation of pampering and confectionary items and letters from a group of staff and students at an Oldham secondary school.

Anbridge House, in Oldham, has been given 21 gift boxes of morale-boosting items by Oasis Academy Leesbrook.

The gift boxes had items including old-fashioned sweets, hand cream, a mini bottle of wine, chocolates a notepad, pen and touching letter from all the staff and students.

Staff also sent four boxes of chocolates to thank the frontline staff for looking after their community in such a compassionate way.

Sarah Livesey, principal at Oasis Academy Leesbrook, said: “It was both humbling and a privilege to drop these gifts and letters from our Oasis Academy Leesbrook family to Anbridge House.”

“We are delighted that the residents will get some joy and know that we are thinking of them all at this difficult time when they can't have visits from family and friends.

"Our community is wonderful and there is so much goodness within it; this is typified in the work of the inspirational staff at Anbridge House, the donations from our Leesbrook staff and the lovely letters from our Leesbrook students."

The idea came about when the academy was thinking about their values, formed of the Oasis 9 Habits and how they as staff can ensure they were endeavouring to live them out in their own lives as well as encouraging the students to.

The leadership team asked staff for donations and then they used the donations to make hampers as they felt that those isolating in care homes, with no family to visit, may need a little reminder that they are thinking about them.

Gavin Dixon, assistant principal, added: “It was lovely to see the staff so happy to hand out the gifts to the residents; we even got to wave and speak to one resident, Vera, who was very appreciative of the gift and thanked us, from a distance! Working together and looking after each other within our community has never been as important as now.”

Gwen Iring, manager at Anbridge House Care Home, said; “We are so incredible grateful to the students and staff at Oasis Academy Leesbrook for their heart-warming donations.”

“One of our 98 old residents who has no family members burst into tears, when the gift was passed over. It has made her day.”