Primary school children save 94-year-old woman’s Christmas with heartwarming carol service

After a nasty fall the 94-year-old was gutted she could not honour her yearly festive tradition

Primary school children gathered to save a 94-year-old grandmother’s Christmas after a bad fall stopped her from attending her favourite Carol service.

Cath Whitehead, 94, had a nasty fall on her way back from her friend’s house and fractured her pelvis and back leaving her hospitalised for two weeks.

The great-grandmother known by the whole community of Danbury as ‘old Nan’is now being cared for at home by family members as she recovers but has been feeling down about being trapped inside since she is usually very active, says her grandson Gary Robsinson.

Devastated at the prospect of missing the Christmas carol service she attends every year, Mr Robinson and the year six class of a local primary school stepped in to bring the carols to Cath.

Cath Whitehead is known to everyone in the village as ‘Old Nan’ (Provided)

The 94-year old was overcome with emotion when the year six class gathered outside her home to sing Christmas songs.

Gary Robinson, 40, from Denaby Main, Doncaster said: “When she saw everybody she started crying she got quite emotional.

“I didn’t tell her because I wanted it to be a surprise, when she came to the door she couldn’t believe it, she said ‘why would they all come for me?”

“The fall has affected her horrifically, she even does the school run, she’s like wonder woman.”

Cath is a pillar of village and is loved and known by everyone, she has four children, nine grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren, says Mr Robinson.

The operations manager for Network Rail says he conspired with the headteacher to pull off the surprise.

Two of her great grandchildren attend the primary school which delivered the Christmas rendition to her door.

“It really cheered her up, she was smiling so much and has told everybody about it on repeat, it really lifted her spirits as she’s been a little bit down and withdrawn.

“She’s never missed the carol concern, she loves it it epitomises Christmas for her.

“They sung some hardcore Jesus bangers such as We Three Kings, Away in a Manger and Little Donkey.”

Mr Robinson described his Nan as a “caring and dedicated”, community-minded lunatic with a wicked sense of humour.

She spent her younger years working in the coal mine kitchens and she never remarried after her husband, Fred Whitehead, who worked down the pit, died during the 1970s.

He added: “She’s just a proper old school woman, she’s resilient.”