ERIC White celebrated his 95th birthday in style when students from a Swindon school cooked up a special treat.

The pensioner tucked into a roast lunch and was presented with a home made birthday cake decorated in the shape of a parcel with gift wrapped ribbons.

The group of 15-year-old pupils from Ridgeway School in Wroughton decided to treat Eric as part of a monthly community lunch project.

Priscilla Lane, head of design and technology department, said: “Eric comes to most of our initiatives within the school and works with the health and social care students.

“He has been coming to our lunches for quite a number of years.’’ The monthly lunches have been running for two years but before that the catering department offered special occasion meals. The project was the idea of Rosemary Cairns, the lead practitioner in food for the school.

The pupils work with the school restaurant to hone their catering skills, under the guiding hand of technician Ann Sheppard.

At the same time they cook and serve around 60 roast dinners for Wroughton residents in the school restaurant.

Ms Lane said: “The lunches are open to individuals, and they are not all elderly, but we do have a mini bus that picks up a number of people from care homes in Wroughton.

“The students learn more than simply cooking at the lunches because they meet and greet the guests, collect the cash donations towards the lunches, prepare the room, lay the tables and talk to the residents.

“It gives them a broader outlook on the catering industry and it is an excellent link to the community and a chance to find out about different lifestyles.’ Eric, a retired bank worker, is not only one of the stalwarts of the lunch club, but he works with the sixth form health and social care students attending coffee mornings, Fair Trade Week and British Food Week initiatives and giving talks.

Ms Lane said: “He gives talks on what life was like when he was the same age as the students so they can compare and contrast.’’