THE festive season is well and truly upon us and York Cares is getting into the spirit of things with our annual Christmas opportunities.

Every year we organise teams of employee-volunteers from local businesses in York to go into elderly people’s homes to put on fabulous, all-singing, all-dancing Christmas parties.

This year we have teams going to seven different care homes in the York area, including a team from Waitrose who are returning to Willow House for the second year running.

Helen Liddle, from Waitrose, said of their party last year: “It was great to get into the festive spirit, and we enjoyed eating, singing and even dancing.

"The ladies requested that we bring back some dance partners this year.”

So watch this space Willow House, they may well have you on your feet.

Earlier this year, York Cares also organised a Team Challenge at Willow House as part of a series of challenges taking place at elderly people’s homes.

The events were part of a council initiative to make residential homes friendlier and less institutional.

Employees from Aviva set to work at Willow House painting the bathroom, hair salon and halls; tending to the garden and generally brightening things up for residents.

Trisha Smith, manager at Willow House, remarked on the hard work and commitment of the Aviva team.

She said that the work done “has brightened the whole home and inspired our staff and the people who live here to do as much as possible to liven up the environment for everyone”.

She also commented that the outdoor work done in the garden led to the area being used a lot more this summer, and the home even held their very first garden party.

Team Challenges also took place at Morrell House, Woolnough House and Oak Haven.

These homes are now all being returned to over the Christmas period, as well as another three, with festive parties being hosted by teams of employee-volunteers next week.

Hosting a Christmas party is not the only way of spreading some Christmas cheer however, we are also recruiting teams of employee-volunteers to collect items of food and gifts for people in need across the city.

The collections will be delivered to a number of hostels and charities in time for Christmas.