WORCESTER Lions Club awarded six community groups and a city school with a share of £1,500 during a ceremony at the Guildhall.

Mayor Allah Ditta and club president Ian Haffner gave cheques to All Sorts of Performing Arts, Home for Good, Longlands Riding for the Disabled, Oldbury Park Primary School, Worcestershire Parent & Carers’ Community and Worcester Snoezelen.

“I always argue that if the volunteering sector stopped for about two days, the country would come to a halt,” said Councillor Ditta.

He said events such as Tuesday’s are a “real eye-opener” as he gets to “meet wonderful people who do wonderful work around the county.” “I’m really blessed for that,” he added.

Sarah Boyce, headteacher of Oldbury Park, said cuts to education are “bringing hard times for our school and it’s really sad.”

She added she was “very excited” having just become an academy through the Royal Society of Arts.

She said: “We’re trying to make sure the children don’t suffer and don’t go without anything but there are some things that we are unable to invest in the same way as we used to. So, we are very excited to have this money to help at this time with a move to slightly rebranding the school hall to incorporate the Royal Society of Arts, to lend itself and encourage a consistency in a sense of belonging for our children.”

“Belonging is so important in making them feel secure and happy, so that they learn well. We want to do a huge mural and some photographs to embrace this new move for our school and we would like to use the money to do that.”