Pro Bono Requests – 2/4/2026
Summary of requests:
- Real Estate - Review the draft HoT’s and advise on the property lease for a community sports Pavilion in East Bristol. (Community Asset Transfer from Bristol City Council)
- Real Estate - Advice on the building repairing responsibilities outlined in a charity’s property lease for a community centre in East Bristol.
- Real Estate
- Review the draft Heads of Terms and help the charity to agree the 25 year peppercorn lease on 2 x ground floor units in a student housing development in Bristol
- Review the HoT's and help the charity to agree a 25 year peppercorn lease on 3 x ground floor units in an affordable housing development in Bristol.
- Charity Law - Review draft amended charity objects.
- Charity Law - Advice on what charity needs to do, to change from a Community Benefit Society to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation.
- Charity Law - Advice on the process of changing charitable status from an old standard charity entity to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation I.e. pro’s & cons, liabilities for trustees.
- Charity Law - Advice on the how to change a charity’s Articles of Association.
‘Live Availability tracker’ here: Pro bono request AVAILABILITY TRACKER.xlsx (Link expires 30/04/26)
Request 1.
Overview – Netham Community & Sports CIC (Company no: 15521941) is a community-led non-for-profit initiative focused on revitalising Netham Park in East Bristol into a vibrant, inclusive hub for sport, wellbeing, and community life. The project aims to transform underused facilities into a professionally managed space that supports local football and cricket, hosts events, and fosters partnerships with schools and community groups. With a strong emphasis on social impact, the initiative seeks to address inequalities in one of Bristol’s most diverse and disadvantaged areas by improving access to high-quality recreational spaces, promoting health and wellbeing, and strengthening community cohesion.
The pavilion was built around 2011 but was closed by Bristol City Council during the covid outbreak and has not been in use since then. The council has now accepted Netham Community & Sport’s application to take on a long term lease on the pavilion building
The group want to bring it back into community use and ensure the local community has access to an excellent resource for the local area.
Pro bono request – The group are seeking a volunteer to advise on the draft HoT’s and the property lease for the sports Pavilion Building.
Landlord: Bristol City Council
Property address: The Pavilion Building, Netham Park, Avonvale Rd, Netham, Bristol, BS5 9RZ
When – From April 2026 until completion (to be agreed with the volunteer)
Request 2.
Overview – St Werburghs Community Association (charity no: 1074495) runs St Werburghs Community Centre in East Bristol which accommodates 80,000 individual visits per year and hosts a wide range of support services, meetings, classes & training sessions for people of all ages and backgrounds. Its services directly benefit over 1,500 people and include Special Education Needs & Disabilities provision, a food bank, IT/digital inclusion group, job seeking support & free or low sport and physical activities.
Unfortunately, there has been some subsidence, which has caused some structural damage to the Community Centre building.
“We are going through quite a complex process of ground investigations and hoping to have the options for the remedial works by the end of March, together with full costings. We have contacted Bristol City Council (Landlord) and have been advised to seek legal support to better understand our legal position - who is responsible for the remedial works, and whether there may be a scope for that responsibility to be shared. Bristol City Council responded to our query, suggesting we are responsible under our lease. The letter quotes responsibility for foundations, but there is no mention of foundations in the lease, nor does the building have any, it’s built on a footing with no foundations.
This represents a significant capital project and would be extremely costly for a charity of our size. It may also require us to close during the works, resulting in a loss of income, as our primary revenue comes from room and office hire, not to mention our plans for the trading arm and community sauna. Unfortunately, our insurance for the subsidence cover has been withdrawn as we have been monitoring the cracks for some time now, and they had a legal right to do so.”
Pro bono request – The charity is seeking advice on their property lease for St Werburgh’s Community Centre to help determine whether the charity is responsible for paying for any remedial works caused by subsidence. The lease is fully repairing & the landlord is Bristol City Council
When –by end April/early May 2026, if possible (flexible depending on availability of the volunteer)
Request 3. (a & b)
Overview – Bricks (Charity no: 1183118) is a bristol based charity which runs a community hub at St Annes House, a former Bristol City Council office, which includes: 65 tenanted spaces ranging from medical centre rooms for social prescribing, counselling, play therapy, artist studios, co-working, other charities offices, a cooperatively run gym, a theatre rehearsal space, mushroom farm, an alternative MA studio, music label and a community sauna.
a. As part of a Section 106 Agreement between Bristol City Council and Unite Students (Unite Group Plc), the charity Bricks has been offered a 25 year lease by Unite Students, on a peppercorn rent, for two ground floor commercial units in the Avon Point, student housing development in Temple Quarter Bristol.) The two units will be used for a mix of supporting emerging artists & hosting community organisations.
b. Clarion Housing Association have offered Bricks the opportunity to take on a 25 year lease on a peppercorn rent for 3 x ground floor commercial units in their new affordable housing development called Boatyard in Bristol. The charity will use the unit for a mix of supporting emerging artists & hosting community organisations.
Pro bono requests – The charity is seeking volunteers to assist with one or both of the following:
- Unite Students - review the draft Heads of Terms and help to agree the 25 year peppercorn lease (peppercorn rent) on 2 x ground floor units
Property address: Avon Point, 12-16 Feeder Road, Temple Quarter, Bristol, BS2 0PW
Landlord: Unite Group Plc (Unite Students)
Client: Bricks (Charity no: 1183118)
- Clarion Housing Association - review the draft Heads of Terms and help to agree the 25 year peppercorn lease (peppercorn rent) on a ground floor commercial unit
Property address: Boatyard, Bath Road, BS4 3EU
Landlord: Clarion Housing Association Limited
Client: Bricks (Charity no: 1183118)
When – From the end of April 2026 (when the draft HoT’s are expected from both landlords)
Request 4.
Overview – Life Cycle (Charity no: 1077575) is a Bristol based charity which offers support to individuals with disabilities, mental illness, offenders, isolated older people & disadvantaged young people through its range of Inclusive Cycling Projects. “One of our projects, Bike Back, is a bicycle recycling scheme, run in partnership with HM Prison Service. We take donations of unwanted bikes and teach prisoners the skills to strip down and rebuild them until they're running like new. Once fixed, the bikes are sold at affordable prices to help local people to get cycling”. See short film here - “Repairing Bikes, Rebuilding Lives”
Pro bono request - (Charity law) Seeking a volunteer to review their draft amended charitable objects before they submit them to the Charity Commission for approval. They would appreciate any feedback and advice on potential amendments they may need to make.
“Our Trustees are currently revising and futureproofing the phrasing and language of our charitable objects that were first written 27 years ago. But we are ignorant of how semantics in phrasing, and/or a failure to mention key phrases might result in updated wording not meeting the requirements of charity law and being rejected by the Charity Commission for failing to adequately state the public benefit we aim to achieve.”
When – By mid May 2026 if possible
Request 5.
Overview - Nailsea and District Community Transport (FCA reg no: 28008R) is a Community Benefit Society (CBS) which provides an essential door-to-door transport service for older, disabled or disadvantaged residents who would otherwise not be able to live independently and become isolated. “By offering safe, inclusive and accessible transport, we help people stay connected, access essential services, and fully participate in their community. We operate in the northeast half of North Somerset, covering Clevedon, Nailsea, Portishead, Long Ashton, Gordano, Felton, Yatton and all of the intervening villages and rural areas.”
“We are a not for profit and function in the same way a charity would in many ways with a trustee board etc. This CBS status is not common for community transport network organisations and because our fundraising need has increased following the loss of North Somerset Council funds, we are now hoping to become a registered charity to open up the potential of more funds. This means we need to make an application to be a CIO and then move everything over to this (staff, lease, contracts etc) and dissolve the existing society. This feels like a huge and scary undertaking for us, so we are looking for some advice on the legal side of things to help us navigate through this process. We are starting the work now and hope to do the CBS member vote/ get their approval on the July 7th at our AGM to change to a CIO. ”
Pro bono request – (Charity/corporate law) Seeking initial advice on what they will need to do and in which order to change their legal structure from a Community Benefit Society to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)
When – Will work around the availability of the volunteer anytime between April – May 2026 if possible
Request 6.
Overview - 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, activities for adults with learning has been advised by the YMCA Federation to change legal structure to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) and would really appreciate some assistance with this.
Pro bono request – The Chair of Trustees is Seeking some initial advice on changing charitable status from an old standard charity entity to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation I.e. pro’s & cons, liabilities for trustees.
When –by mid April 2026, if possible (flexible depending on availability of the volunteer)
Request 7.
Overview – Children’s Scrapstore (Charity no: 1008788) is Bristol based charity which charity that promotes creative play, educational and creative activities, community involvement and re-use. “We are a community hub in Bristol which provides low cost resources to thousands of community groups and individuals working with children, young people and in therapeutic settings; including schools, colleges and universities across the city.”
Pro bono request – Seeking some initial advice about the process of amending their Articles of Association. “Children’s Scrapstore want to update articles of association and there are a few bits about the process I would like to talk through with somebody who knows about these things.” Kirsty Wilson, Deputy CEO
When –by end April 2026, if possible (flexible depending on availability of the volunteer)