Community

We currently have a three-year programme supporting three charities that link with the firm’s sector expertise, locations and experience. Our aim is to build strong relationships with the charities we support and develop a long-term programme of fundraising and volunteering activity. 

The charities we support: 

• St Mungo’s – who work to prevent homelessness and support people at every step of their recovery from homelessness.
• The Ocean Conservation Trust – a global ocean conservation charity working towards a vision of healthy oceans.
• Trussell – who support a nationwide network of food banks to provide emergency food and support.

In 2022-23, we supported Winston’s Wish, a charity that provides support to bereaved children following the loss of a parent or sibling. Our fundraising efforts raised over £100,000 for the charity over 18 months. 

How we support

Our fundraising and volunteering efforts happen at a firm, team and individual level – and our people have the flexibility to support the charity that they feel most passionately about. Our charity fundraising efforts have included a range of activities such as charity auctions, breakfast fundraisers and challenges like the Three Peaks Challenge.

In terms of volunteering, everyone at Ashfords is encouraged to get involved. This includes through our bi-annual team days, where each team spends part of the day volunteering. In the past, this has included activities such as beach cleaning, helping at the local food bank, or participating in tree-planting initiatives.

Ashfords’ wider responsible business strategy

The Power of Three programme is just one part of the firm’s wider responsible business strategy. Further work includes:

• Reducing the firm’s environmental impact - implementing an energy savings management plan across all offices to reduce electricity consumption and heating costs, replacing older high energy use technology and improving waste separation
• Ashfords’ diversity programme – this is currently focused on social mobility and improving access to legal careers, through collaborations with the Social Mobility Business Partnership, the University of Exeter Sutton Trust and The Bristol Future Talent Partnership