Staff at a school in Forest Gate found a more environmentally friendly and useful way to celebrate over the holidays.

Around 150 teachers at St Bonaventure’s Roman Catholic School decided to stop sending cards to each other and make a cash donation to charity instead.

The school’s chosen organisation was Catholic Agencies For Overseas Development (CAFOD), a charity that St Bon’s and its partner school St Angela’s have a long history of helping.

The idea generated over £1,000 just over the festive season alone.

Assistant Headteacher, Vivienne Querry, added: “When I first suggested we all do this, the staff thought it was a brilliant idea.

“They didn’t have to write dozens of cards and a charity benefitted.

“Who knows we might have started a new tradition.”