Is this Leicestershire’s most charitable pub?

The White Horse at Quorn in Leicestershire continues to do outstanding – and unsung – charitable work in the local community. But it’s not just the pub’s directors, brothers David and Martin Keatley-Lill, who are helping people in need ­– customers and friends are involved, too.

Each Christmas for the past four years, The White Horse – which is owned by Everards Brewery – has put on a free festive meal for around 40 elderly locals who live on their own or who have recently lost loved ones. Working closely with Quorn Medical Centre and helped by customer volunteers, the pub runs a taxi service to pick up the elderly guests. The White Horse then cooks up a Christmas meal served by customers acting as temporary waiting staff. Free drinks are poured (including beer donated by the pub’s owner Everards), traditional piano music is played, and free hampers are distributed, before the taxi service returns guests to their homes.

Throughout the year The White Horse is the focus for more charitable deeds via fundraising organisation, The White Horse Wishing Well, which aims to help people in the local community who are in the most need. Over the past 12 months, White Horse Wishing Well has raised more than £25,000. Most recently the pub played host to a fundraising raffle night with ex-Leicester Tigers and England rugby player Neil Back. In the past they have welcomed ex-footballing stars Steve Claridge, Keith Gillespie and John Hartson.

Examples of White Horse Wishing Well beneficiaries include 10-year-old Lucy Rawlings from Leicestershire, who enjoyed a trip to the Horse of the Year Show to provide a break from her cancer treatment; and the Warner brothers, three-year-old twins from Leicestershire with a rare form of cerebral palsy who need life-changing surgery that is not funded by the NHS. White Horse Wishing Well recently gave the brothers a cheque for just over £20,000.

You can follow The White Horse Wishing Well on Facebook here and on Twitter here.