Schoolchildren enjoy meal together for first time in months after Harborough Town Football Club hosts Christmas lunch

Over 200 youngsters from St Joseph Catholic school enjoyed a festive lunch at Harborough Town Football Club.

More than 200 pupils and staff from St Joseph’s Catholic Academy have enjoyed a meal together for the first time in months.

The school hall and kitchen are currently closed because of dangerous concrete, and pupils are having to eat their lunch in separate classrooms.

But Harborough Town Football Club offered to host them for a Christmas lunch, with the meal funded by local architect firm YMD Boon, and food provided at a discounted rate by Keythorpe Event Catering.

Coach firms Ausden Clarke and Wilsons transported everyone there and back for no charge, and there were also donations from Co-Op, Waitrose and Specsavers and a visit from Santa.

Headteacher Bernadette Dabbs said: “An appeal to ensure the school could have a Christmas lunch was launched a few weeks ago and received a fantastic response.

“I had really wanted the school to be able to unite for Christmas.”