SCHOOLCHILDREN received a much-needed Christmas gift from a Weymouth company spreading festive cheer.

Instead of sending hundreds of cards this year, DJ Property decided to say Merry Christmas by donating a bench to Chickerell Primary School.

The bench was handcrafted in the wood workshop at The Verne prison on Portland and presented by DJ Property’s Mickey Jones.

Mr Jones said: “This has been a challenging year for businesses, schools and community organisations and I thought that it was important to look at things differently this Christmas and give something back to the community rather than sending traditional Christmas cards. “I work hard to ensure that I visit most of our businesses on a regular basis and therefore I can say Merry Christmas to most of them personally. It is important that local schools are supported by the local business community as they are nurturing the next generation, our future workforce.”

Jody Harris, the headteacher at Chickerell Primary School said: “We are delighted to receive this bench. We are going to put it in our ‘paddock’ area which we are currently developing for outdoor learning. This area will particularly focus on encouraging children who may find accessing the planned curriculum difficult to use the bench.

“It is all the more inspiring to know that the bench was made by other young people who may also have had a challenging start. “This gives us a very positive means of showing children that practical skills are just as valued and needed in society as more academic skills.”