Pictured: Gail Whyte, trainee solicitor in the Leicester
office of Gateley and one of the residents of New Wycliffe Home for
the Blind
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.
For more information about Gateley, please visit their website
here: www.gateleyuk.com