Year 10 students laid on an afternoon of food and entertainment to thank supporters of their school.

The Oakfield Project, which helps students who may have struggled in traditional school, hosted the celebratory event on Wednesday. It was designed to show the promise of its students at they take their next big step into adult life.

Donations totalling £116 will go towards the Rotary Jaipur Limb project, which provides vulnerable people in India with prosthetic limbs.

Paul Wainwright, senior youth worker at the project, said: “The event was a success because it showcased the project, the work we’re doing here, and it let us network with local agencies while empowering our young people. It presented them with a real-life event and showed them in a positive light.”

Students decided on recipes for the event and cooked a range of different meals in celebration of the town’s diversity. Guests tucked into turkey curry, a medley of traditional British and European starters, beef bourguignon and Indian snacks provided by the Hindu Temple. They then rated the meals out of five.

Paul added: “They came out with a lot of five-star ratings for their food – some are saying it’s restaurant standard but I’m not quite sure about that.

“I think the young people were superb and the feedback was really positive.”

If the tasty meals weren’t enough, Oakfield supporters also got a chance to try archery and virtual reality experiences. Steve Burch, who teaches a computer programming at the project, set up exciting virtual worlds for people to explore. One demo allowed headset wearers to test their sense of vertigo.

Joint headteacher Kim Tupper explained: “One of the experiences was going up in a lift and then walking from a skyscraper on a plank. I only got my foot onto the plank but wouldn’t go out. You actually think you’re there.”

She had plenty of praise for her students: “They did exceptionally well and it was a new experience for them. It’s really nice that they got to integrate with the rest of the community.”

Karen Clark, who supports the project with maths tuition, said: “It was amazing, the food presentation was lovely and there was a fantastic choice of mains. Students had a great time and they all seemed to integrate really well.”

Partners at the event included the Rotary Club, Nationwide, Igloo, The Hindu Temple, as well as parents and governors who help to improve the services of the school. Swindon mayor Junab Ali came to learn about the project and encourage students to keep up the good work.