Law firm brings festive cheer to Leicester residential home

14th December 2011

The Leicester office of top 50 national law firm, Gateley hosted a festive tea party last weekend for elderly residents at the New Wycliffe Home for the Blind in Rushey Mead. The event was part of Leicestershire Cares 'Festive Team Challenge' which matches local businesses with the needs of local communities in Leicester.

Members of Gateley's Leicester office gave up their Saturday afternoon to visit around 45 elderly residents who are either partially sighted or blind, with many suffering from Dementia. Joining the Gateley team and to add some Christmas cheer to the festivities were students from Leicester University and a dog from the Pets as Therapy charity, which provides animals for visits to hospitals, hospices, nursing and care homes.

The tea party involved a quiz, carol singing, bingo, poetry reading and dancing and is one of a number of challenges the firm has undertaken for Leicestershire Cares. Most recently the Gateley team spent a day helping to clear allotments at the Saffron Lane estate which are used by a number of community groups and schools

Gareth John, corporate partner in Gateley's Leicester office, attended the festive challenge and said: "Supporting the local communities in which we operate is an important part of our culture at Gateley and the team are really enthusiastic about volunteering for the challenges that Leicestershire Cares have set us.

"It's been an incredibly rewarding experience for everyone involved. The residents at New Wycliffe Home for the Blind were a pleasure to entertain and we can't speak highly enough of the staff who work so hard to keep the home running."

Katharine Lightbown, community development coordinator for Leicestershire Cares added: "The Festive Team Challenge provides a chance for local businesses to make a really positive impact and lend valuable support to a charity or community organisation in Leicestershire. Gateley's festive tea party went down a storm with the residents of New Wycliffe Home for the Blind and it helped get everyone into the Christmas spirit. We'd like to thank them for their support and for volunteering to take part in their spare time."

The Festive Challenge is brokered through the charity Leicestershire Cares. Leicestershire Cares is dedicated to matching the talents and skills of local employees with the needs of local communities in Leicester and Leicestershire and is an initiative of Business in the Community. For more information call 0116 275 6469 or email info@leicestershirecares.co.uk

New Wycliffe Home for the Blind is run by the charity VISTA Society for the Blind.