Corby mayor spreads festive cheer with community Christmas card competition

The initiative invited children and young people from across Corby to design festive cards and craft personal messages intended to bring a smile to residents in local care homes.

The response from the community has been overwhelming.

Cllr Reilly has collected more than 350 hand-crafted cards from eight participating local schools.

Each card features a unique design and a ‘special message’ ensuring that those spending Christmas in care or homes, feel remembered and valued by the younger generation.

While every participant contributed to the mission of spreading joy, each school selected a specific winner for their outstanding creativity.

From these finalists, Cllr Reilly selected two overall winners – Lilly from St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School and Christian from Corby Technical School (CTS).

In recognition of their achievement, the overall winners have been invited to attend the mayor’s dinner this week.

But the impact of the competition extends well beyond the classroom.

All of the 350-plus cards will be distributed to care homes across Corby, accompanied by mince pies to provide a full festive treat for the residents and every school winner has been promised a special surprise to be delivered in the New Year as a thank you for their hard work and kindness.

Corby mayor Callum Reilly said: "It has been incredible to see the creativity and compassion of Corby’s young people.

"These cards are more than just paper and glitter, they are messages of hope and community that will truly brighten the day for our residents in care homes this Christmas."

Leader of the council, Simon Rielly, joined the mayor in praising the efforts of the local students, highlighting the importance of community cohesion during the festive period.

Cllr Rielly said: "This initiative perfectly captures the spirit of Corby.

"Seeing our schools and young people come together to support our older residents is truly inspiring.

"It’s a wonderful example of how small acts of kindness can make a massive difference in our community."