Pupils at Wootton Bassett School have donated dozens of unwanted Christmas presents to the homeless.

Soap-based gifts have been given to The Filling Station, which is a weekly initiative to help the homeless in Swindon that has been given the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

The students have also donated food which they collected during a cake sale, where they asked people to donate tins instead of money.

Coun Sue Hughes, a volunteer for The Filling Station, was at the collection last week with the charity’s chairman, Angus MacPherson.

“We are getting more and more young people involved,” said Coun Hughes.

“Their food technology teacher, Deborah Sheehan, did a lot of work with them. The cookery club baked cakes and sold them for tins.”

The Filling Station runs from the car park in Carfax Street for an hour every Thursday.

A team serves soup and drinks to the homeless and also hands out basic essentials such as toothbrushes and blankets to help them get through the week.

“Deborah thought this was something the kids could easily relate to; they are going to make this an annual thing. With numbers of homeless people rising, it is a massive support to the charity,” said Coun Hughes.

To donate tins, clothes, blankets or candles email sue@nichughes.plus.com. To donate money to the charity write to Angus MacPherson, PO Box 3718, Swindon, SN4 4AZ