The inaugural Wishing Tree at Greensleeves Care’s The Orchards is an initiative designed to bring a touch of magic to the festive season.

Hanging on its branches are special tags which recognise those people who would appreciate a surprise present this Christmas.

They might be volunteers, community champions, lonely individuals without relatives of their own, or parents who may have been struggling to buy gifts for their children.

Generous donors take away a tag from the tree and come back with a suitable present for the recipient, whether that’s a cosy scarf, a book or a toy.

So far 40 presents have been donated by staff and residents of the not-for-profit home on Forsythia Road, pupils from The Isle of Ely Primary School and other community members.

The gifts will be distributed between now and Christmas and include toys and colouring books, donated to the church’s toy bank for local families in need.

Recipients also include the All in Sound Choir, a group which brings joy and enrichment to the lives of the home’s residents and people in the Ely community living with dementia. The Orchards team presented a scarf to choir leader Kathryn Rowland and biscuits to its volunteer members.

Erin Huggins, who organised the initiative at The Orchards, said: “This is our way of giving back to the amazing community in Ely, which is a lovely place to live and a great location for the home.

“We have a lot of help and support from the people who live here so it’s really lovely to be able to give back to people.

“We aimed to support all ages so some requests were for young children or for the toy bank at the local church. We also included some of our own residents who do not have any family members.

“It’s been brilliant and has gone down so well that we’ll definitely look to do it again next year.”

The Orchards isn’t stopping its community support after the festive season. The home’s winter Warmth of Care campaign will see it open its doors to neighbours with a Big Warm Up day on Saturday January 25.

Erin added: “Winter is an opportunity to spot for growing care needs and explore longer-term solutions. We’re here for families concerned about loved ones this season.

“The Big Warm Up is a free open-day and a chance for visitors to celebrate and experience the joy and humanity that exists in care settings like our home.

“For families concerned about an older loved one, it’s also an opportunity to talk through practical information to support decision-making around care in a relaxed and welcoming environment.”

If you’d like more tips and advice on how to help older adults near you to stay warm and well this winter, you can explore free resources at www.greensleeves.org.uk/WarmthOfCare

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