Young people will  move into a 'home from home' thanks to teams of volunteers from a Gloucestershire company.

Staff from Ecclesiastical's finance and group risk and compliance teams picked up their paintbrushes to give a makeover to a bungalow for residential students aged 19 to 25 at St Rose's, with the facilities team set to follow in their footsteps.

The Gloucester-based specialist insurer has also committed to providing professional services for St Rose's, which provides education, therapy and care for children and young people aged two to 25 with physical, sensory, learning and communications difficulties.

Deborah Rees, business manager at St Rose's, said: "The rooms being decorated by the staff from Ecclesiastical are currently used for respite care at weekends, but next year they will be used by our full-time residential students moving on to their college education.

"This will be their home for most of the year so it will be fantastic for them to move into a really lovely, freshly-painted space that they can then personalise with their own things."

Ecclesiastical offers all members of staff at least one volunteering day to support a cause close to their hearts.

It also match-funds all payroll giving and fundraising efforts and gives every employee a £125 personal grant.

This can be given to any charity and is doubled if they also volunteer for them.

Together, these initiatives raised nearly £250,000 in 2016. More than 60 per cent of employees gave their time volunteering too.

Chris Bell, who volunteered at St Rose's only three days into his new role as a compliance officer at Ecclesiastical, said: "The company's charitable purpose was absolutely vital in my decision to come and work here.

"It's fantastic to be able to take some of the pressure off a wonderful place like St Rose's by providing a willing workforce.

"The money they save by us volunteering will mean they have more for equipment and activities that will improve the lives of their students."