Students at the University of Ulster have donated Christmas hampers full of festive treats to a local children’s charity.

For the past two years, BSc (Hons) Consumer Studies students at the Coleraine campus have been supporting families in need by giving food, toys and gift cards to the Bryson Christmas Family Appeal.

Course Director, Dr Desmond Hill, said: "Working with the charity Bryson Care Children’s Services has been a good experience for the students. They had to work together as a team, come up with gift ideas suitable for children within the stated age groups and they are much more aware now that there are families who struggle to afford presents at Christmas."

Student representatives recently presented the hampers to Lorna McBurney from Bryson Care Children’s Services.

She said: “We would like to thank the staff and students from Consumer Studies for their generous donation of food hampers, toys and gift vouchers to the Christmas Family Appeal.

“Through this initiative we have been able to provide practical support to families who struggle financially over the Christmas period. The work completed by family support staff focuses on developing skills which empower the families to make positive changes for their children’s benefit.”

Head of Department, Dr Una McMahon-Beattie, said, “This has been an excellent opportunity for our students to use their enterprise and organisational skills to benefit the local community.”

The Bryson Christmas Family Appeal, which has been running for over 25 years, helped over 426 children and 269 families in 2012.