Community activity

Our employee volunteering schemes are popular amongst our people and demonstrate our aim of providing meaningful help in our local community. To help achieve this, everyone at TLT is granted three hours paid leave every month to volunteer within the community.

We provide pro bono services to a number of not-for-profit organisations, and several TLT people are trustees of local charities. In other cases, we're more hands on, with solicitors and other members of staff volunteering in a range of projects in our communities. 

For example, we work closely with Ablaze, a registered charity, on their reading buddy scheme. Over 150 TLT people have worked with primary schools in Bristol over the past six years, helping pupils improve their literacy and develop their enjoyment of reading. We also work with Ablaze on their mentoring scheme for secondary school pupils. The scheme aims to empower young people at secondary school level to achieve their potential, inspire them to take action on their own behalf and raise their aspirations and confidence.

Ablaze reading buddy case study

Senior management, solicitors and support staff at TLT's Redcliff Street office are helping primary school pupils to improve their literacy skills and help develop their enjoyment of reading. 

TLT has around 40 staff involved in the scheme - the highest number of any firm in Bristol.

The reading buddies, as they are known, work on a one-to-one basis with pupils spending half an hour with them each week. Those benefiting include youngsters at Bankleaze and Long Cross primary schools, both in Lawrence Weston.

“This is an exceptional level of volunteer commitment and enthusiasm from one firm. This scheme is designed to improve skills and confidence in reading and raise aspiration of children and young people” said Jan Pritchard of the Extended Schools Partnerships in North Bristol.

The scheme operates with the help of Ablaze, a registered charity established by the business community in Bristol to bring together the enthusiasm and commitment of education, business and community to improve attainment, attendance and achievement in schools.

All TLT staff involved are approved to work with children and receive full training.

Robert Bourns, TLT Senior Partner, said "There is real enthusiasm across the firm for this worthwhile scheme. We hope it will contribute to a measurably higher attainment in literacy of those leaving primary school. Involvement gives first hand experience of the challenges facing others and alters perceptions of all concerned."