West of England Pro Bono Committee Requests for assistance

Summary of requests:

1. Real Estate - Review the draft Heads of Terms and help the charity to agree the 25 year peppercorn lease on 2 x ground floor commercial units in a student housing development in Bristol . 
2. Charity, property - 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.
3. Charity, Contracts, property - Help to draft a hire agreement, a Shared Resources Agreement, and a Deed of Covenant (if also needed?) for transferring profits between two charitable legal entities.

 See ‘Live Availability tracker’ here: Pro bono request AVAILABILITY TRACKER 03.07.26.xlsx  (Link expires 28.08/26)

3. 1. 1. 1. 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.

The charity 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.

 Pro bono request – The charity is seeking a volunteer to review the draft Heads of Terms and help to agree the 25 year lease (peppercorn rent) on 2 x ground floor commercial 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)

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

 

2.  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 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. between July – Dec 2026)

3. 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 them either or all of the following:

1. Draft an agreement between the charity and Hartcliffe Community Club Limited (HCCL) for HCCL’s use of the social club part of 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 a ‘Deed of Covenant’ (if also needed) 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