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Current Pro Bono Asks

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  1. Property – Review HoT’s and negotiate new lease on a community centre.
  2. Employment - Initial advice on a charity’s position & options for proceeding with an employment dispute. (by Fri 9th Oct 2026 if possible!)
  3. Property, Charity, Contracts - Help with any of the following:  draft a room hire agreement, a Shared Resources Agreement, and a Deed of Covenant (if also needed?) for transferring profits between two charitable legal entities.
  4. Charity structures - Charity which is changing its legal status to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation is seeking some legal input to help ensure they manage the process correctly.

To check if a pro bono request is still available, please check the live tracker here:   Pro bono request AVAILABILITY TRACKER 18.09.26.xlsx (Link expires 30/10/26)

 

Overview – South Lockleaze & Purdown Neighbourhood Group CIC (Company no: [10030391]1003039) – Is a small volunteer led CIC which has been running The Old Library community centre in Bristol since 2016. The centre provides a range of services and facilities for the local community.

The group’s original 10 year lease with Bristol City Council (BCC), the landlord, is due to end in April 2027. BCC has offered the group the opportunity to apply to take on the property through a Community Asset Transfer 35 year lease and the group has decided to apply. We understand that no other organisations are applying for the lease.

Pro bono request – Should the group be offered a lease by Bristol City Council, they are seeking an offer in principle from a volunteer, to provide pro bono legal support to review the draft HoT’s & agree the new lease on the property: The Old Library, Muller Road, Eastville, Bristol, England, BS5 6XP

Estimated timeline:

  • Oct 1st 2026 – The group submits business plan, CAT lease application to BCC
  • End Nov 2026- BCC decision on whether to offer the 35 year lease to the CIC
  • Jan-Feb 2027 – BCC issues draft HoT’s/ lease to the CIC
  • Apr-June – New lease hopefully signed

When – Estimated from Jan – May 2027, to be confirmed when/ if draft HoT’s are provided.

 

May be an image of grassHillfields Community GardenOverview – Hillfields Community Garden (Charity no:1204254) – Is a small charity runs which Hillfields Community Centre in East Bristol. The centre provides a range of services, facilities and support for the local community.

 Pro bono request – The charity’s CEO is seeking advice from an Employment Solicitor on their position & options of how to proceed with a current employment dispute – In particular:

  • Understanding the implications and resources needed should the charity be taken to an employment tribunal.
  • Going through ACAS to facilitate a COT3 agreement.
  • Go for a Settlement Agreement

(More information available on request)

When – The charity would really appreciate this support by Fri 9th Oct 2026

 

 

No photo description available.Overview - Hartcliffe Community Centre (Charity no: 301716)  in South Bristol is located in the 1% of areas with highest deprivation in the UK.  This one of only a small handful of local community resources in Hartcliffe & Bristol City Council’s community team, Quartet & Voscur have all been working together to support the trustees to make the organisation more resilient. We now need vital legal support to help them progress further.

The organisation which runs the centre is registered as two legal entities which are responsible for separate activities:

- ‘Hartcliffe Community Club Limited – (Reg. Society no:  24987R)  - This element is responsible for running the social club in the building

- ‘Hartcliffe Community House’ – (Charity no: 301716)

Pro bono request – The charity (Hartcliffe Community House is seeking volunteers to assist with any one or more of the following:

  1. PROPERTY - Draft a room hire agreement between the charity and Hartcliffe Community Club Limited (HCCL) for the hire of a room in the community centre.
  2. Draft an agreement (Shared Resources Agreement?) between both organisations setting out how each organisation pays for shared worker time.
  3. Draft an agreement setting out how the social club (HCCL) passes over its profits to the charity (Hartcliffe Community House).

When – Flexible. The charity will work around the availability of a kind volunteer

 

Clevedon YMCA – Discover ClevedonOverview - Clevedon YMCA (Charity no:250972) is a small independent charity based in North Somerset and solely responsible for raising its operating costs. The charity delivers a range of projects including a Youth café and activities for adults with learning difficulties. On advice from the YMCA Federation, the charity’s board have agreed to change the legal structure to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). The charity has two freehold properties which need to be transferred to the CIO.

 “We are aiming to undertake much of the process ourselves to change to a CIO, but there will be a few critical points where we will need and really appreciate legal input to ensure everything is correctly handled, particularly around trustee liability, transferring 2 freehold property titles, and ensuring the transfer into the CIO is properly and safely managed.” Michael Allison, Chair of Trustees, YMCA Clevedon

 Pro bono request – As the charity’s board undertake the work to change the organisation to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, they are seeking a volunteer(s) to provide some advice and guidance to help ensure everything is correctly handled, particularly around trustee liability, transferring 2 freehold property titles, and ensuring the transfer into the CIO is properly and safely managed.

When – Flexible. The charity will work around the availability of a kind volunteer (as a guide only – e.g. Oct – Dec 2026)