STAFF at six Winchester care homes received parcels of Christmas presents and treats provided and delivered by the city’s Rotary branch.

Each parcel contained a festive mix of boxes of biscuits, chocolates, mince pies, as well as soft drinks and clementines.

They also contained bottle of Prosecco as a special surprise for the care home managers.

During the Covid-19 pandemic Rotary members have been supporting several care homes in the city through writing letters and cards to residents to help alleviate loneliness.

David Farthing, scheme coordinator and a past president of Winchester Rotary said: “As a result of our letter writing scheme, we have become acutely aware of the immense pressure put upon care home staff during these unprecedented times. We decided therefore to provide some Christmas cheer for the hard-working staff.”

Deliveries were made to Westacre, Moorside, Bereweeke Court, Abbotts Barton, Westholme and Sutton Manor care homes.

Lynne Seymour, general manager of Westacre Nursing Home said: “It’s heartening to see the hard-work of the staff at Westacre recognised with such a thoughtful gesture.

“With the ongoing pandemic, it has been crucial to maintain a sense of community and Winchester Rotary has been a valuable part of this.

“Our residents were delighted to receive letters from club members a few months back and our staff are equally pleased to see their efforts appreciated.”

Winchester Rotary will continue to support local communities throughout lockdown.