Clague LLP

Architects

Contact Details
Pat Mills BA BArch (Hons) RIBA
Partner

62 Burgate, Canterbury, Kent CT1 2BH
T: 01227 762060
E: patmills@clague.co.uk
W: www.clague.co.uk

Regions covered:  UK wide

About Clague LLP
Clague, the design-led architecture practice based in Canterbury, and with offices in London and Harpenden, has a longstanding reputation among the almshouse community. With its dedicated conservation and historic buildings team, Clague advises on quinquennial inspections, ensuring Trustees are best placed to protect the fabric of their estates.

At the heart of Clague’s work are design projects often requiring listed building consent, which demand a sensitive and detailed understanding of former building techniques and materials. As a result, Clague’s 60 strong team, including nine partners, has delivered projects across the country for many almshouse charities, whether adapting existing homes or designing new ones.

The quality of the firm’s work has been nationally recognised with Clague a three time recipient of the Almshouse Association Patron’s Awards. The successful projects were undertaken for Harefield Parochial Charities, St John’s Hospital and The Roger Manwood Trust in Canterbury.

For further information on Clague’s work with almshouses contact: Pat Mills on 01622 762060 or via patmills@clague.co.uk


O’Neill Richmonds Law Firm Ltd

Solicitors

Contact Details
Christine Lowes BA
Solicitor

Spaceworks, Benton Park Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE7 7LX
T: 0191 246 4000
E: clowes@oneill-law.com
W: www.oneill-law.com

Regions covered: UK wide

About O’Neill Richmonds Law Firm
Christine Lowes has been a solicitor for 34 years. Throughout her professional career she has been Solicitor to the largest Almshouse Association in the country which owns in excess of 1700 Almshouses in the North East of England.

On recommendation, she has also provided advice and assistance to a number of smaller Almshouses Associations. She has extensive experience in the areas of constitutional change, trustee liability and property matters including the Setting Aside of Appointments and recovery of Almshouses.


Wilkin Chapman Rollits LLP

Legal Services

Contact Details
Gerry Morrison
Partner, Head of Charities Team

Citadel House, 58 High Street, Hull, East Yorks HU1 1QE
T: 01482 337339
E: gerry.morrison@rollits.com
W: www.rollits.com

Regions covered: UK wide (Yorkshire based)

About Rollits LLP
Assisting Almshouse charities with updating an amendment of their governing documents and constitutions.

  • Liaising with The Charity Commission in respect of regulated alterations to constitutions and governing documents.
  • Liaising with Almshouses and The Charity Commission in respect of disposal of permanent endowment.
  • Liaising with Almshouse charities in respect of charity law queries and governance matters.
  • Advising trustees on their legal duties and responsibilities.
  • Advising Almshouses in respect of the application and appointment process including Letter of Appointment.
  • Liaising with Almshouses in respect of setting aside appointments.
  • Working with Almshouses to resolve disputes in respect of residents and in respect of repair and maintenance issues.
  • Liaising with Almshouses in respect of planning permission and construction projects.

Charities VAT Services

VAT Advisory Services

Contact Details
Glenn Havenhand
VAT Partner

Highfields, 11 Pinchwell View, Wickersley, ROTHERHAM  S66 1FP
T: 01709 709727
M: 07818 066 088
E: glenn.havenhand3@btopenworld.com

Regions covered: UK wide

About Charities VAT Services
We provide VAT advice to almshouse charities all over the UK with particular emphasis on building projects. Our aim is to seek to save charities VAT where legally possible, by identifying the zero-rate and reduced-rate VAT liabilities to building works.

The projects can be past, present or future and includes certificate preparation, advice letters and dealing with HMRC.


Argonaut Human Resources Ltd

Human Resources

Contact Details
Mr A Nisbet BA MA
Managing Director

Beech House, Dodlsey Grove, Easebourne, Midhurst GU29 9BE
T: 01730 810970
M: 07966 117801
E: Adrian.nisbet@argonaut-hr.com
www.argonaut-hr.com

Regions covered: UK wide

About Argonaut-HR

We help with all matters relating to people and staffing, covering areas like pay, employee relations, engagement, staff recognition and training.

Members often contact us with questions or for advice in the following areas:

  • Contracts, handbooks, policies and procedures.
  • HR Advice & Management – This can be delivered remotely or on-site to cover unplanned emergencies (including grievance and disciplinary matters) or as a retained service to ensure records, documents and staff details are up to date and compliant with legal requirements.
  • Training – To help support teams and individuals with topics such as effective team work, customer service, leadership and manager training.
  • Coaching & Outplacement – 1:1 coaching for staff, career planning and outplacement for those impacted by redundancy

Charisma Charity Recruitment

Executive Search Consultancy for Charities & Not for Profit Organisations

Contact Details
Adam Stacey
Managing Director

Southgate Chambers, The Pumphouse, Garnier Road, Winchester, England, SO23 9QG.
T: 01962 813300 (Winchester)  0207 998 8888 (London)

E: adam@charismarecruitment.co.uk
W: www.charismarecruitment.co.uk

Regions covered: UK

About Charisma Charity Recruitment 

Charisma is one of the UK’s leading charity recruitment specialists, offering advice and guidance to organisations throughout the UK who wish to find exceptional individuals to join their team.

Whether your charity is seeking a Chair, Trustee, CEO, Director, Manager, Master, Clerk or Warden, you can be reassured by the expertise of the Charisma Consultants.

With over 20 years’ experience of supporting charities and not for profit organisations, Charisma has extensive knowledge of recruiting for housing, care and almshouse charities and our strong ethical approach ensures that we are trusted and respected within the sector.


Bates Wells LLP

Solicitors

Contact Details
Simon Steeden
Partner

10 Queen Street Place, London EC4R 1BE
T: 0207 551 7624
E: s.steeden@bateswells.co.uk
W: www.bateswells.co.uk

Regions covered: England and Wales

About Bates Wells

We’re Bates Wells, a law firm with a difference.

A full service law firm, we believe in making a positive impact and we’re not afraid to challenge the status quo. We’re the firm of choice for thousands of charities and social enterprises. As a value driven firm we show commitment to our clients, our people, the environment and to society. We’re the first law firm to achieve B Corp certification.


Gullands Solicitors

Solicitors

Contact Details
Philip Grylls
Chair

16 Mill Street, Maidstone, Kent ME15 6XT
T: 01622 689735

E: p.grylls@gullands.com
W: www.gullands.com

Region covered:   UK wide

About Gullands Solicitors
The Gullands team works with a number of charities of different sizes and structures to deliver excellent results.

We can advise and assist on a full range of business law issues and charity specific matters such as:

  • The formation, establishment and dissolution of unincorporated charities, companies limited by guarantee and trusts.
  • Incorporating as a CIO
  • Charity Mergers
  • Day to day governance and compliance issues including advising trustees on their statutory and fiduciary duties.
  • Schemes and orders including amending schemes e.g. widening Objects and spending Restricted Funds.
  • Public benefit requirements.
  • Internal disputes or disagreements between trustees.
  • Court Work including dealing with possession cases involving difficult residents.
  • Building new or modernising existing almshouses
  • LSelling ot buying land

Blair Gulland won an Outstanding Achievement Award at the Kent Law Society Awards 2017 and was a finalist for Solicitor of the Year, Private Practice, part of the Law Society’s national Excellence Awards 2017. Blair is also a finalist in the IOD South East Awards 2018, all for his work with charities. Blair is now a Consultant with Gullands and is also a trustee of two almshouse charities in Kent. Gullands were involved in the case of Watts v. Stewart and Other (2016) which was an important Court of Appeal case confirming the status of an almshouse resident as a licensee or beneficiary and not as a protected tenant and not subject to the Human Rights Act 1998.


Furley Page LLP

Solicitors

Contact Details
Aaron Spencer
Partner & Head of Private Clients

39 St Margaret’s Street, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 2TX
T: 01227 863 136
E: naa@furleypage.co.uk
W: www.furleypage.co.uk

Regions covered:  UK wide

About Furley Page LLP

  • Long established top 500 legal practice with considerable experience of charity law and especially the almshouse community.
  • Members of the firm act both as legal advisors to almshouse charities and as their Clerk/CEO. Nicholas Andrews is clerk to two almshouse foundations and also clerk to the East Kent Consortium of Almshouses
  • Expertise in all aspects of governance for due compliance is readily available as is conversion to a CIO or company limited by guarantee.
  • Expert drafting of constitutions, changes in objects and advice about statutory requirements is readily available.
  • Attendance when required at trustee meetings is a regular part of our close relationship with our clients.

Wrigleys Solicitors LLP

Legal Practice

Contact Details
Joanna Blackman | Partner

3rd Floor, 3 Wellington Place, Leeds LS1 4AP
T: 0113 204 1114
M: 0784 191 9758
E: Joanna.blackman@wrigleys.co.uk
W: www.wrigleys.co.uk

Regions covered
England and Wales

About Wrigleys Solicitors LLP
Services

Wrigleys Solicitors is a specialist charity and private client law firm with a dedicated Charities and Social Economy team that advises charities and not-for-profit organisations.

As one of the leading charity law practices in the UK, and one of the few firms with lawyers working exclusively for charity and social enterprise clients, we are recognised as experts in our field. We provide practical, common-sense, and technically excellent advice, forming valued long-term relationships with our clients. Our regional location allows us to offer competitive pricing and value for money. We are also fortunate to attract top talent from large commercial firms, with lawyers who seek to use their skills for a more socially driven purpose.

Our specialist advice for charities includes:

  • Charity law and governance
  • Regulation
  • Constitutional arrangements
  • Commercial law
  • Ecclesiastical law
  • Finance and social investment
  • Fundraising, appeals and donations
  • Permanent endowment and restricted funds
  • Property law (including almshouse licences)
  • Employment law
  • Pension law
  • Data protection