SINGAPORE - Primary Six pupil Nadia Adriana loves football. The 12-year-old's favourite team is Brazil and she adores Neymar, the 22-year-old captain of her favourite team. But she never had own soccer ball until yesterday, when she got a new one at a Christmas party. "I'm so happy," she said.

Her five-year-old brother Adrian Irfan also received a toy car as a present.

They were among some 80 children living in two HDB rental blocks at Marsiling who received gifts at a party organised by the North West Community Development Council (CDC) yesterday. The CDC roped in 30 volunteers from City Development Limited (CDL) and staff at the Nanyang Girls' High School for the party, which was held at the Sunlove Senior Activity Centre.

Besides giving out presents, the volunteers also had breakfast with the children, folded paper origami and read books to them.

The CDC has been organising such activities since 2006, said a spokesman.

One of the volunteers was Nanyang Girls' High School English teacher Angeline Seet, in her 30s. Ms Seet brought her own pop-up story books to read to the children at a playground, accompanied by her eight-year-old daughter Evangeline. "I enjoy reading to children and to see them love the books," said Ms Seet on why she volunteered for the party.