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Helping National Park City Foundation strengthen governance and scale sustainably.
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National Park City Foundation (NPC) is a registered charity based in London that acts as the stewarding body for the ‘National Park City’ movement which promotes making cities greener, healthier and wilder.
More recently, NPC has seen a boom in popularity, especially with the increasing number of volunteers helping to transform streets and neighbourhoods across London to be better connected with nature. This surge in engagement has helped them to grow faster than expected, and as a result NPC approached our team through our pro bono programme - which allows each of our lawyers to dedicate up to 50 hours annually to eligible organisations at no cost - to support them in updating around 35 internal policy documents and conducting a general audit of their business practices and processes.
We brought together specialists from across the business to support NPC in reviewing and organising their policy documents. This included areas such as Pensions, Commercial, Global Investigations, Health and Safety, Financial Crime, and Employment. While these policies already existed, our team critically assessed them to ensure they reflected current best practices and identified key areas for improvement to assist the foundation as they grow.
Beyond addressing existing gaps, we also provided them with forward-looking advice to help futureproof their policies. This included guidance on emerging regulatory developments such as the Online Safety Act 2023 and the new Failure to Prevent Fraud offence. This would better ensure that NPC is equipped to manage both present and future risks.
In total, we reviewed and improved 31 out of 35 policies, delivering both immediate value and long-term strategic insight.
NPC significantly enhanced their policies and are now better protected from regulatory and legal risk.
Overall, they received up-to-date best practice improvements across the board which has put them in an excellent position for their growth plans. It will mean that more volunteers will be able to get involved and ultimately help to create more green spaces in our communities.
This outcome reflects values we share, as seen in our sponsorship of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, where we champion the importance of nature and thriving communities. Both initiatives aim to create spaces that bring people together and promote wellbeing.
For our team, the project provided a valuable development opportunity. Junior fee earners were able to deliver direct client advice, gain hands-on experience, and contribute meaningfully to a cause that benefits the wider community.
Helping National Park City Foundation strengthen governance and scale sustainably.
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Beyond the billable hour. Is your business eligible for our pro bono programme? Championed across our firm, our pro bono programme empowers lawyers to use their legal expertise to support individuals, charities, and social enterprises. Each lawyer can dedicate up to 50 hours annually providing free legal advice, helping organisations thrive.
Visit the Pro Bono page