THE boys and girls of Blakeney School were in for an extra special surprise when they broke up on Friday – a card and a crisp fiver each from a local farmer in memory of the wife he lost earlier this year.
"The card's from me and the £5 is from my wife Winifred," said Jack Biddington, nearly 76, of Brownings Farm, Mill End, Blakeney.
"It's theirs to do as they please with, though I was glad one little girl said she would be saving hers. Things were very hard and we were very poor in days gone by and we've had to work and save – work and work, because we knew no different.
"Now because we've been careful we've got the farm and more land here, and some land abroad, and some of my sons are back to help with the work.
"We've done all right now but it has been hard. The money the children get was left to me by my wife but I've got my own money too so I don't need it – I would never spend it.
"We had been married 49 years when Winifred died – and I'd known her for longer, 55 years. She left me the money and it seems a good thing to do with it."
Jack has arranged Christmas visits to Blakeney School by Father Christmas in past years and he had the help of local woman Dee Screen when he put together the ceremony for this extra special event.
And he announced there would be even more for Blakeney children to celebrate in future – he now plans to repeat the 'Christmas fiver' gifts in future years.
Today, there are nearly 90 children on the Blakeney school register, aged from 4-11.
Head teacher Sally Richardson said: "I think it's absolutely stunning he should do this for the children of the village.
"When he first came to me to moot the suggestion I could hardly believe it – he said he'd been poor and had lived in the village all his life and wanted to put something back into the community.
"I think the children will appreciate it more for the sentiment than for the money – it shows somebody has real faith in them."