Smith Partnership spreads Christmas cheer

Smith Partnership Solicitors is bringing Christmas cheer to the high street this year through donating decorations and mugs to charity and lighting up its headquarters in Friar Gate.  

The company, which has offices across the East Midlands, has created a new, festive display in its Derby window and has donated all its previous decorations to Women’s Work, a Derby charity which improves the lives of vulnerable women and their families. 

Adele Woods, Associate Solicitor in Smith Partnership’s family team, arranged for the decorations to be given to Women’s Work and for staff to help put them up. 

Dionne Reid, chief executive officer of Women’s Work, said:

“Staff from Smith Partnership came in to put up the tree and decorations in the reception area and family contact room and they have done a wonderful job. It is great to have them involved and they have helped us with other events too.”

Meanwhile Yasmin Russell, New Business Assistant at Smith Partnership, has enlisted the help of her work colleagues to bring a smile to the faces of children who may be struggling this year. 

She asked staff to bring in empty festive mugs which her friend, Laura Worrall, then fills with chocolates, marshmallows and hot chocolate as part of her Christmas Mug Appeal. 

 Laura said:

“I know some companies do donate gifts for children, which is great, but I feel sometimes older children might miss out because people tend to buy gifts for those 5-12 years old. I thought mugs and mason jars filled with goodies were great gifts whatever age you are.” 

It is the third year Laura has collected and filled the mugs and the popularity of her idea is growing. In her first year she filled 97 mugs, that rose to 206 last year and is 323 so far this year. 

Laura said she knows how little help like this can make a difference. 

“A few years ago, my situation could have been very different when I had to give up work. If I hadn’t had the support of family, my children may have had to go without so I really wanted to give back.” 

Laura’s mugs are donated to her local church who is connected with food banks across the area. They then hand them to Sure Start who help identify families they should go to. 

They have been distributed in Allenton, Alvaston and Shelton Lock. 

Yasmin said:

“I really wanted to help Laura because what she does is fantastic so I just put the word around at work and the response was brilliant. We’ve also had people donating chocolates and things for Laura to put in the mugs.” 

Smith Partnership’s Christmas spirit is summed up in its own display in Friar Gate, which features a six-foot tree and sparkling parcels. 

Claire Twells, a Partner at Smith Partnership, said she hopes the offices in Friar Gate will brighten people’s winter shopping. 

“We really just want to bring some cheer to the high street,” she said. “People always used to go to look at the Bennetts Christmas tree and we really wanted to light up the front of our building to bring a smile to people’s faces. We have wonderful staff here who want to help others.”

You can see Smith Partnerships festive window display in their offices in Norman House, Friar Gate.