Dear , 

We hope you are enjoying the summer so far. As we continue to celebrate our 25th anniversary, we want to shine a light on our volunteers who are at the heart of what we do for those navigating a complex justice system. 

At the start of June, we were excited to celebrate Volunteers’ Week, sharing stories and insights about our volunteer community. We are proud to welcome volunteers with diverse experiences, from our students who are taking their first steps in a legal career, to professionals finding purpose in retirement. They come from all walks of life, and that's what makes our vibrant volunteer community feel special. 

In the last year, over 1,500 volunteers delivered at least one day of volunteering. Many of our volunteers have been with us for more than five years, and we're so proud of the communities that have grown within our services because of them. 

We're also incredibly grateful to have nine partnerships with universities across the country: Birmingham City University, Cardiff University, Leeds Beckett University, Liverpool John Moores University, Manchester Metropolitan University, Nottingham Trent University, St Mary's University Twickenham, Royal Holloway and the University of Sheffield. All have supported students in gaining real, hands-on legal experience whilst making a difference to the lives of people facing court alone. 

We work hard to make sure that volunteering with us is an enriching experience for all. The results from our 2026 National Volunteer Survey speak for themselves: 

• 91% of volunteers surveyed were satisfied with their experience 

• 91% of volunteers surveyed felt they received the consistent support they needed to carry out their role 

• 90% said their local office was a positive environment to volunteer in 

We're really encouraged by these results and are so grateful to every volunteer who took the time to share their feedback. It helps us continue to grow and improve our service whilst maintaining a welcoming volunteer community. 

We’re currently looking to grow our volunteer community this summer – if you are interested in volunteering with us or know anyone who might be interested, we’d love your help sharing the word.  

We're recruiting volunteers for our Support Through Court Online service and National Helpline, offering flexible, remote support to people across England and Wales navigating court without representation. 

We continue to be incredibly grateful for those who give to us, either through donation or taking on exciting fundraising challenges. Keep an eye on our social media and emails for upcoming opportunities to support us and you can find out about more fundraising challenges on our website. 

We’re incredibly grateful for the continued support from all our partners and community.  

We’re delighted to announce that LEAP UK have joined our Corporate Guardians Network as Changemaker Guardians. Your commitment will play a vital role in sustaining and growing our work as we look ahead to our new strategy launching at the end of the year. 

See the full list of our Corporate Guardians on our website and if you would like to find out more about our Corporate Guardian Network please contact our Corporate Fundraising Officer, Emma Rushworth.  

For many of the clients we support, facing court alone can feel overwhelming and frightening. One of our volunteers in Sheffield captures the difference our volunteers’ support can make: 

“Regularly with in-person appointments, I find that clients come in very nervous and unsure of their situation but leave feeling more confident, which always makes me feel really positive about volunteering.”  

That shift from uncertainty to confidence is at the heart of what our volunteers do. We feel privileged to work with volunteers, from all walks of life, who stand beside those facing court alone.  

Thank you for taking the time to read our newsletter. We have lots more to look forward to as we continue to celebrate our 25th anniversary and can’t wait share more in the Autumn. If you have any questions about our work until then, please do not hesitate to contact us - we would love to hear from you.

Best wishes, 

Emma Taylor, 

CEO