A convenience store has proved community spirit is alive and well in Custom House by paying for a Diamond Jubilee celebration at a nearby care home.

Nilesh Patel, manager at Nisa Today in Freemasons Road, will donate �1,000 towards the cost of this Friday’s events at Stanley Holloway in Coolfin Road.

The generous gesture was made possible by a company-wide scheme to hand over some of the income on certain products to charity.

With the Jubilee fast approaching, Nilesh, who has run the shop for 30 years, decided to give the money to the home, with the help of Custom House Cllr Pat Holland.

It will enable them to hold a raffle, buy food and drink and enjoy a visit from the Pearly King and Queen.

Nilesh said: “We always try and use the money within the community and a lot of my customers are older people, a lot of whom live there.

“I spoke to the manager of the home through Cllr Holland - they only get very limited funding anyway.

“At first they wanted a few items, but I thought, rather than that, why not donate the money?”

Nilesh said the Diamond Jubilee was certain to raise memories among the Stanley Holloway residents.

“I remember the 1977 (Silver Jubilee) one and it was something to look forward to,” he added.

“It’s not very often that a community comes together but it can with something like this.”