Staff and residents from a care home in Chippenham welcomed school students for a charity sports day last week.

Students from Hardenhuish School teamed up with Barchester's Cepen Lodge to raise money for the care company's charitable foundation.

Activities included traditional sports day favourites such as the egg and spoon race, relay race, space hoppers, and the three-legged race.

Established in 2000, Barchester's Charitable Foundation supports older people and adults living with disabilities or mental health problems.

The charity, through donations, helps individuals to connect or reconnect with their communities.

It works to combat loneliness and enable people to be active and engaged.

Last year the foundation received £225,000 in donations, which enabled it to provide support to 160 small groups and charities, as well as 87 individuals, in one year alone.

On June 19, the staff and residents of Cepen Lodge invited the students, their families, friends, and the broader community to take part in their sports day.

The event was part of the Get Barchester Moving initiative, which encourages a week of activity and fundraising to include Barchester teams, residents, relatives and communities.

There is a Just Giving page which is aiming to raise £1,500 through the initiative.

Jade Hodge, senior general manager at Cepen Lodge, said: "We had the most wonderful day, and we are so grateful to the students and teachers at Hardenhuish School for their support.

"It was so lovely to see everyone come together to take part and raise such a brilliant amount of money for Barchester's Charitable Foundation, it is a great charity that helps many people in need, particularly lonely older people, which is a cause very close to our hearts.

"Plus it's good for our own wellbeing to move as much as we can.

"We want to say a massive thanks to everyone involved, we all had so much fun and we helped raise vital funds into the bargain."

Jean, a resident at Cepen Lodge, added: "I had so much fun this afternoon chatting with the students and joining in with the games.

"It was so nice to see all the young generation and share stories with them. I feel so happy after such a lovely day."

Cepen Lodge provides dementia care, residential care and respite care.

Barchester Healthcare supports more than 13,000 residents across 258 homes and hospitals for short breaks to long term stays.