PUPILS at Yorkley Primary School have teamed up with Yorkley Walk for Health Group to fill more than 50 shoeboxes with gifts for disadvantaged children.

For many years the schoolchildren have supported the Samaritan’s Purse, through Operation Christmas Child, which distributes shoeboxes to underprivileged and disadvantaged children all over the world in time for Christmas.

Teaching assistant Kate Fyffe said: "This year – for the first time – we have combined efforts with Yorkley Walk for Health Group.

“The walking group don’t have a fixed base where their shoeboxes can be stored ready for collection. As one of their members is a retired Yorkley teacher, she suggested using the school as a central collection point.

“It’s also a great way of building good community links and for the children and retired members of the group to work together.

“Some of these children who will receive the boxes live in refugee camps after being forced to leave their homes by civil war.”