Top law firm launches charity fund and invites applications to share in £7K pot

A leading law firm is inviting charities and good causes across Flintshire to bid for a slice of their newly set-up £7,000 annual charity trust fund.

Fast-growing Swayne Johnson, who have offices across North Wales and Cheshire, have a long history of providing financial support to charities and wanted to make it simpler for local community projects and organisations to access their new fund.

They already support a wide range of organisations including sports clubs, schools and hospices and their help has benefited youth work, the welfare of children, animals, the elderly and health care.

They now hope to raise greater awareness of the Swayne Johnson Charitable Trust Fund so that even more local, grass roots projects can benefit.

Swayne Johnson Director and Head of the Private Client department Lynette Viney-Passig said: “We have a track record of supporting local organisations going back many years but we wanted to make it easier for them to apply by setting up a trust fund for sponsorships, grants and donations.

“We already have £7,000 committed and hope to make that up to £10,000 but many people don’t know about the support we can and do offer so we wanted to raise awareness and make it easier to apply.

“We also wanted to extend it so that if someone has a particular locally-driven, community-spirited project and needs help to get it off the ground then we would be happy to support that as well.

“The Directors and shareholders of Swayne Johnson Solicitors have already donated a proportion of their profits to the Charitable Trust to set up the fund and will continue to do so each year.

“Our amazing staff have thought creatively about how they can fund raise and worked hard to implement their ideas so, for example, we have a monthly staff lottery.”

Swayne Johnson have supported regional charities like Tenovus whose Sing With Us Choir, made up of cancer survivors and those affected by the disease, perform annually at Swayne Johnson events and also the Headway charity which helps people with serious brain injury.

They also administer and are Trustees of two major charitable trusts which make annual donations worth over £500,000 to organisations as diverse as Chester Zoo and the Wales Air Ambulance to and they are also Dementia Friends through the Alzheimer’s Society

Lynette herself is a Trustee of Conwy & Denbighshire Mental Health Advocacy Service and the firm encourages members of staff to become involved with local charities and organisations.

Swayne Johnson Managing Director Sarah Noton said: “It is really important to us that we are part of the communities in which we live and work and for that reason we always seek to play an active part in the life of those communities.

“Giving back to improve the quality of local communities is at the very foundation of Swayne Johnson Solicitors, and one of our core values.

“Our Directors and staff have always actively engaged with our communities through supporting and attending local events and shows.

“We’re on boards of trustees, carry out pro bono legal work, actively fundraise and we have always provided financial support to great causes wherever we can.

“In creating Swayne Johnson Charitable Trust, we hope to make more people aware that our support is there and all applications will be carefully considered by our Panel which is made up of Directors and staff who represent their own team, office and community.

“We are particularly interested in local and community projects and initiatives at grass roots level so if you are involved in something like this then we’d love to hear from you.”

To apply for a grant from the Swayne Johnson Charitable Trust please email law@swaynejohnson.com to request an application form.

Pictured - Award 1: Leading law firm Swayne Johnson have set up a £10,000 charity trust fund and are inviting applications – pictured from left are Managing Director Sarah Noton, and directors Lynette Viney-Passig and John Moriarty.

Picture by Mandy Jones Photography.