A regional law firm with an office in Swindon has announced its new charity of the year.

Gardner Leader, which also has offices in Newbury, Thatcham, Maidenhead, Windsor, has committed to supporting Prospect Hospice, which provides end-of-life care services and support to people living in Wiltshire, including Swindon, Marlborough and Royal Wootton Bassett.

Prospect Hospice was nominated by team members through the firm's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative.

This initiative was formed in 2014 with the aim of making a positive impact on the communities the firm works in and for.

The charity provides free care for people affected by life-limiting illnesses.

Jeremy Lune, CEO of Prospect Hospice, said: "Prospect Hospice are absolutely delighted to be chosen as Gardner Leader’s charity of the year.

"Like us, they put people at the heart of everything that they do.

"Each year we provide personalised palliative and end-of-life care to 2,000 patients and support to families across northeast Wiltshire, south Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire.

"In challenging times, we quite simply couldn’t do this without the generous support of our community, so every penny that is raised by Gardner Leader will make a genuine difference to people’s lives.

"We look forward to working together for the benefit of others."

Gardner Leader's team will be taking part in a series of fundraising and volunteering initiatives over the coming months, ranging from bake sales and fun runs to organising donations.

The charity is currently under threat of closure due to increasing cost pressures as funding from the NHS hasn’t risen in 10 years, leaving it around £1 million short of what it needs this year to support people who need it most.

Derek Rodgers, Gardner Leader’s managing partner, said: "We are looking forward to working with Prospect Hospice in Swindon as our new nominated charity for the firm, coinciding with the third anniversary of Gardner Leader arriving in the county following our merger with Clark Holt in August 2021.

"Like many of my colleagues, I have my own personal experience of the amazing care which hospices provide, and the resources they need to do so, and I am sure that our partnership with them will be an incredibly rewarding one for us and hopefully also for them."

Since 2022, Gardner Leader has raised £8,000 for Newbury Soup Kitchen.

Over the last 10 years, the firm has supported more than 10 charities, raising at least £50,000 through its team's fundraising efforts.