TRADERS from Barnards Green have been spreading a little happiness with their latest fundraising donation.

The business group has just presented a cheque for £1,300, raised over the Christmas period, to Community Action Malvern Hills.

The money will be used to help fund Sunday afternoon tea get-togethers which help to prevent social isolation for older people in Malvern.

Susie Forbes of Community Action, who accepted the cheque from the traders, said: "We're absolutely delighted with the amount of money raised and we thank the traders for all their hard work. It is wonderful to see communities working together to support each other."

The traders had raised the funds during December with their Christmas Extravaganza Day in December and by running in-house competitions and quizzes.

Jane Knowles of the traders said: "This is very much a celebration of the fundraising this small group of traders carries out.

"We recently added up that we had raised over £11,000 during the last seven years for really local causes, such as the community hospital, Home-Start and the Sunshine Children's Centre."

"We received a lovely thank-you card from the children from the Sunshine Centre this week. They had used the funds we raised in the summer on a Christmas fun day out to meet Santa and his reindeer".

"I want to say a big thank you to the traders who get involved and also to the people in the community and the local councils who support us."