How our know-how helps others

Various members of the firm donate their time and expertise to a range of good causes, non-profit making organisations and community-based bodies.

In total, our staff help out more than 40 different organisations, ranging from sports groups and scout packs to St Oswald’s Hospice, the Prince’s Trust and the ICT Youth Challenge, which sees young people develop business ideas under a programme developed with BT.

Members of the firm also fill non-executive positions on the boards of organisations including the Northern Offshore Federation, the Northern Learning Trust and the Tyneside Cyrenians.

Examples of our pro-bono work include:

Ward Hadaway’s property and planning team advised paralysed rugby player Ali Johnson on his successful application to obtain planning permission to build a new home in the grounds of his parents’ farm.

Mr Johnson was left paralysed from the neck down whilst playing in a match for Tynedale Rugby Club in Northumberland in September 2004.

Funds raised by players, friends and family were put towards developing a specially adapted bungalow for Mr Johnson at his parents’ farm at Haltwhistle, Northumberland.

However, the initial plans for the development were rejected by planners at Tynedale Council who felt the site was inappropriate and the design unsympathetic to the surrounding area.

Ward Hadaway’s property and planning team stepped in to advise Mr Johnson on a pro bono basis to help put together a revised application.

This was passed by Tynedale Council’s development control committee in November 2007, paving the way for the bungalow to go ahead.

Sadly Ali died in December 2008 before the development could be completed, but Ward Hadaway is now advising his family and the trustees of his Estate on a plan to convert the bungalow into a holiday home for people with similar spinal injuries.

The Wills and Trusts team stages free will advice days for various charities in the North.

For more details on the pro-bono work which the firm has carried out, please click on any of the news stories in the right hand column on this page.