Harry Potter star David Bradley has shown his support for a local theatre group by becoming its new celebrity patron and paying a visit to rehearsals for its fundraising festive show.

The actor, who played Argus Filch in the film series, visited the first rehearsal of Raise the Roof theatre company’s upcoming Christmas production to meet the cast.

Raise the Roof was founded in memory of 11-year-old Annabel Greenhalgh from Warwick Gates, who died suddenly in October 2022. It has raised more than £10,000 to date for Birmingham Children’s Hospital in Annabel’s memory.

David joined rehearsals for Raise The Roof’s show, A Christmas with Carol, to share stories and advice with the cast, who are all from the Warwick area.

As well as his role in Harry Potter, David is a veteran of the big and small screen, and appeared in Game of Thrones and Hot Fuzz. He is also an alumnus of the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Amelia Fewtrill Webster, CEO of Raise the Roof, said: “It was wonderful to welcome David to our rehearsal for A Christmas with Carol. We appreciate him taking the time to join us and offer his wisdom.

“Having someone as talented and respected as David supporting our company fills us with pride and motivation. His generosity keeps Annabel’s memory alive and strengthens our mission to fundraise for Birmingham Children’s Hospital through the joy of performance.”

A Christmas with Carol is a musical inspired by Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, reimagined with music, laughter, and festive cheer, and will be performed at the Bridge House Theatre, Warwick.

Tickets are on sale now for the three performances – an evening show on Friday 28th November and a matinee and evening performance on Saturday 29th November.

The show is being supported by sponsorship from Leamington Spa-based Blythe Liggins Solicitors, which has sponsored Raise The Roof’s previous two Christmas shows.

Donna Bothamley, partner at Blythe Liggins, said: “We are proud to have been sponsoring Raise the Roof since its first show and to watch it grow over those three years. It is great to see an esteemed actor like David Bradley offering them his support.

“Booking tickets for a Christmas show is a great way to start making festive plans, so we’d encourage people to snap up their tickets for A Christmas with Carol and help raise money for Birmingham Children’s Hospital.”

For more information and to book tickets for A Christmas with Carol, visit www.bridgehousetheatre.co.uk/show/a-christmas-with-carol/

CAPTION

• Harry Potter star David Bradley with members of Raise the Roof theatre company at rehearsals for their show, A Christmas with Carol

Julia Woodhouse, Employment Solicitor in Leamington Spa, considers the Employment Rights Bill, including unfair dismissal changes

What is the current position on the Bill?

Before it becomes law, the Bill and amendments to it, have been passing between the House of Lords and the House of Commons.

Despite amendments proposed by the Lords, the Commons voted to retain most of the Government’s original proposals, including one of the most significant: the right to make a claim for unfair dismissal, from day one of employment. This article concentrates on that change only.

Day one right to claim unfair dismissal

Under current law, there is a two year qualifying period before employees can claim ordinary unfair dismissal (although there are exceptions for certain automatically unfair dismissals e.g.  whistleblowing).

The Lords had made an amendment to the proposed Day One right in the Bill so that an employee could only make a claim for unfair dismissal if they had six months’ service; however    this was rejected by the Commons. It seems likely that the Day One right will become law, as originally proposed.

We will need to see the detail of the Day One right, in due course. It is expected that employers will still be able to fairly dismiss employees during an “initial” period of employment. However, employers will need to follow a “light touch” procedure, notice to terminate will need to be  given in the initial period and the termination date will need to be no later than three months after the end of the initial period. The duration of the initial period has not yet been decided upon but the Government’s preference is that it is 9 months long.

Unlike dismissals for say misconduct or poor performance, it seems that dismissals for redundancy and for “Some Other Substantial Reason” (SOSR) relating to the employer, will not have the benefit of the initial period and light touch procedure. Therefore, for employers seeking to dismiss for redundancy or for SOSR relating to the employer, it is likely that they will need to follow full and fair (not light touch) procedures with all employees, from the outset of employment.

The Day One right to claim unfair dismissal is expected to take effect in 2027.

Employment Rights Bill roadmap

The Government has published its roadmap for implementing the Employment Rights Bill.  At pages 9 to 10 of the roadmap, the initial timeline which has been set out by the Government, indicates when the numerous measures are likely to take effect.

Most of the significant changes will take effect in 2026 and 2027.

The above does not constitute legal advice.

If you would like to discuss any employment matter contact, please Julia Woodhouse at 01926 831231 or jhw@blytheliggins.co.uk.

Julia is an Employment Solicitor based in Leamington Spa and advises clients across Leamington Spa, Warwick, Kenilworth, Coventry, Rugby, Nuneaton, Atherstone and further afield.

 

 

A solicitor who joined a Warwickshire law firm straight from college has been promoted to a partner in the business.

Lois Harrison started work at Blythe Liggins Solicitors in Leamington Spa at the age of 18, working as an administrative assistant opening files in the conveyancing department

In 2008, she became legal secretary to Claire Kirwan, partner and head of personal injury and medical negligence at the firm, and began to work her way through her legal training in her spare time, alongside her full-time job.

Lois, who lives in Rugby, qualified as a legal executive, but aspired to become a fully-qualified solicitor.

She continued studying for the Graduate Diploma in Law followed by the Legal Practice Course alongside her role at Blythe Liggins, achieving a first-class law degree.

Lois said: “It is a huge honour to become a partner. My route to becoming a qualified solicitor is far from the norm and it shows that you do not have to follow the traditional route to become a partner. It is something which I am very proud of.”

Lois joined the personal injury and medical negligence team at Blythe Liggins very early in her career and said this area of law meant she was able to support people at a low point in their lives.

She said: “In this area of law you are dealing with complex litigation but it is also such a human and emotional field. You are helping people to pick up the pieces and fighting for the justice they deserve. It is incredibly rewarding.”

Lois has experienced difficult times herself – her three-year-old daughter Elsa suffered from a rare genetic mutation which created profound disabilities, and her life ended far too soon, in the summer of 2023. Despite this, Lois managed to continue working and progressing in her career.

Lois is now a Trustee of Zoe’s Place, the hospice in Coventry where Elsa received respite care. She is also the secretary for WPH Charitable Trust, a medical charity which provides grants to people in Coventry and Warwickshire for support such as equipment, home adaptations and wheelchairs.

Claire Kirwan said the partners at Blythe Liggins were delighted to welcome Lois to the partnership. She said: “Lois has been in my team for almost 17 years and she’s a first-class solicitor, with a formidable work ethic and a great business mind.

“She has all the qualities we would look for in a new partner and her promotion is richly deserved.”

CAPTION:

• Lois Harrison (centre) with David Lester, senior partner, and Claire Kirwan, partner and head of personal injury and medical negligence, at Blythe Liggins Solicitors in Leamington Spa

Thousands of runners turned out on Sunday (8^th June) to take on one of Warwickshire’s most popular 10km runs, following a route between Warwick and Kenilworth Castles.

Around 4,000 runners took part in the fully-booked Two Castles Run, with well-wishers turning out to cheer them on along the route. The run started at Warwick Castle and headed cross-country through Leek Wootton, ending at Kenilworth Castle.

 

The annual run is organised by the Kenilworth Runners in conjunction with Kenilworth Rotary and Leamington Cycling and Athletics Club. This year, it was sponsored for the 20^th year by supporters Blythe Liggins Solicitors.

Richard Clarke, race director from the Kenilworth Runners, said: “We’d like to thank our 4,000 runners for being part of the big day and also thank everyone who came out to cheer them along.

“The runners gave it their all and the support from people along the route spurred them all on to keep going.”

Callum Hanlon (Leamington Cycling and Athletics Club) was the first male runner past the finishing line for the fourth year in a row, with Andy Lawrence in second place and Rhys Doherty in third.

Frankie Gibbs secured first place among the female runners, with Kelly Edwards in second place and Natasha White in third.

Sponsors Blythe Liggins also fielded a squad of runners and provided water station helpers.

Donna Bothamley, partner at Blythe Liggins, said: ““There’s always a great atmosphere along the route and at the finish line at Kenilworth Castle, and our team were giving out water to runners as they crossed the finish line.

“It was wonderful to be able to congratulate them all as they completed the run and to see everyone turn out to take part and to support the runners.”

Caption: Some of the team from headline sponsors Blythe Liggins Solicitors who took part in the run

Thousands of runners have signed up to take part in this year’s Two Castles Run, resulting in the popular event being fully booked for the second year running.

A total of 4,000 runners have signed up for the run, which will take place on Sunday, June 8. The event starts at Warwick Castle and follows a 10km route through the countryside, ending at Kenilworth Castle.

Last year marked 40 years of the run and was the first time the event had been fully booked since the pandemic.

All of the places for the 2025 event were snapped up within just a month, and runners who missed out on a place are being invited to join the waiting list.

The event is organised by the Kenilworth Runners in conjunction with Kenilworth Rotary and Leamington Cycling and Athletics Club, and is being sponsored once again by Leamington Spa solicitors Blythe Liggins.

Donna Bothamley, partner at Blythe Liggins Solicitors, said: “There was a great community spirit at last year’s run, and we’re delighted that this year’s event will be fully booked once again.

“We look forward to cheering on the runners as they take on the route between Warwick and Kenilworth castles, raising funds for a range of worthy charities in the process.”

Richard Clarke, race director from the Kenilworth Runners, said: “Last year’s Two Castles Run had a fantastic atmosphere, being our first to be fully booked since the pandemic, so it’s wonderful news that this year the event will once again be at full capacity.

“Over the next couple of months, we will be working on all of the planning and organisation that makes the event possible, and we look forward to welcoming our 4,000 runners on the day.”

To learn more about the Two Castles Run, visit www.twocastlesrun.org.uk.

For more information on Blythe Liggins, call 01926 831231 or visit www.blytheliggins.co.uk.

CAPTION: The Blythe Liggins team after taking part in the 2024 Two Castles Run. The popular event is fully booked for 2025 and will take place on Sunday, June 8.

A waterways business has made a splash by making improvements at a Staffordshire marina which it bought last year.

The Rothen Group – owned by husband and wife Ian and Charlotte Rothen – acquired Fazeley Marina, near Tamworth, in August.

The company’s main business is carrying out maintenance work across the canal network and, since acquiring the marina, it has been busy carrying out extensive works to improve it.

Works have included bolstering facilities for the use of those mooring their boats there, as well as improvements on the waterway itself.

Charlotte said: “We already owned Mancetter marina near Atherstone, where the company is based, and were looking to add a second marina in a strategic location to our portfolio.

“Fazeley Marina is on the junction of the Birmingham and Fazeley canals, so was ideal. We invested a lot in Mancetter marina, and our plan was always to do the same at Fazeley.”

The Rothen Group’s canal maintenance work across the canal network includes tasks such as piling, dredging the waterways and maintaining canal banks, towpaths, steps, bridges and more.

The company held the contract to maintain Fazeley Marina when it belonged to its previous owners, so it was well positioned to continue making the necessary improvements after acquiring it.

Charlotte said: “Fazeley Marina has 70 berths, good car parking and services such as toilets and showers, and we’ve added washing and drying facilities to the services provided. Boat owners either use the marina to store their boats, ready to take them out, or to live on them for short periods, so good facilities are important.

“We worked on the jetties to make them good as a quick fix, as they were falling apart, and we’ve made various improvements on the waterway itself. Our aim will be to undertake full jetty replacement over the summer months to give a long-lasting solution.”

The Rothen Group worked with Leamington Spa-based Blythe Liggins Solicitors to secure the deal to acquire Fazeley Marina. Charlotte said: “We have a long-standing relationship with Blythe Liggins, and the company has worked with us as we have grown.

“Nick Watts from Blythe Liggins worked with us to secure our first marina, so it was great to have him on board to help with the acquisition of our second.”

Aspiring lawyers are being given the chance to boost their CV by winning a week’s work experience at a long-established law firm in Leamington Spa.

Blythe Liggins Solicitors is inviting future legal eagles to submit a short article for the chance to win a placement at its offices in Rugby Road.

The competition is open to over 18s and will offer the winner the chance to gain experience across the firm’s various legal teams, including family law, wills and probate, employment law, and personal injury.

To be in with a chance of winning the placement, entrants must submit a 500-word piece about who or what has inspired them to pursue a career in the legal profession.

Jessica McDonnell, Senior Associate Solicitor at Blythe Liggins, said: “This is a great opportunity for someone who is interested in a legal career to spend a week with our team, gaining valuable experience of the day-to-day work involved in practicing law.

“With work placements and job roles in the profession becoming increasingly competitive, this competition offers a fantastic chance for our winner to set themselves out from the crowd and demonstrate their passion for law.

“We look forward to receiving everyone’s entries and hearing all about why they have been inspired to pursue a law career.”

The deadline for submissions is 5pm on Friday 28^th March 2025. All entries must be a maximum of 500 words in length and sent via email to jm@blytheliggins.co.uk.

For more information, visit www.blytheliggins.co.uk/work-experience-competition/

CAPTION: Jessica McDonnell, Senior Associate Solicitor, and Trainee Solicitor Loren Coles from Blythe Liggins launched the company’s work experience competition at Coventry University’s recent Law Fair

A Leamington Spa solicitor is urging people to make a change for the new year by prioritising making or updating their will.

Jessica McDonnell, senior associate solicitor at Blythe Liggins Solicitors, says that she often hears of people thinking there is ‘no point’ in making a will as they have ‘nothing to leave behind’.

But, she says, this is not always the case, as wills cover everything from who will benefit from a person’s estate – their money, property, possessions and investments – to care arrangements for their children if they pass away.

It is recommended that everyone over the age of 18 has a will in place, but research from Lifetime Lawyers has found that 49 per cent of adults in the UK don’t have one – while one in 10 adults have started making a will but haven’t yet finished it.

Jessica said: “We are all so busy with the day-to-day that making or updating a will is a task which we can mean to get around to but never do.

“With the arrival of the new year, it’s a good time to get this dealt with so it’s not just another job on the to do list.

“My advice is that everyone aged over 18 should have a will in place, and especially those who have children or own a house.

“None of us like to dwell on it, but having a current will in place gives you the peace of mind of knowing that your wishes will be dealt with in the way you’d like, as you go on living and enjoying life.”

Once a will has been made, Jessica recommends reviewing and updating it every five years – or sooner in the event of a life change such as a divorce, marriage, death or new arrival.

She said: “Once a will is in place, it’s important that it is periodically reviewed to check that it reflects your current financial status and family dynamics. When circumstances change, this is a particularly important time to double check that your will still meets your needs and reflects your preferences.

“It is also important to remember that, in the case of unmarried couples who live together, they are not entitled to anything from their partner’s estate in the event of their passing unless a will is in place to specify this – so, if one has not been made, they will not be provided for financially.

“So, I cannot stress enough the importance of unmarried couples making wills to ensure that both parties are provided for and will have somewhere to live in the event of an unexpected death.”

CAPTION: Jessica McDonnell, Senior Associate Solicitor.

A Leamington Spa family solicitor says she is seeing an increasing trend of couples signing pre-nuptial agreements before entering into marriage.

With Valentine’s Day coming up and potential proposals in the offing, Sophia Mellor, head of family law at Blythe Liggins Solicitors, says the agreements – which pre-agree the split of the couple’s respective assets if the marriage ends in divorce – are becoming increasingly commonplace.

A Supreme Court ruling in 2010 gave more weight to pre-nups in this country, making it more likely that agreements which had been voluntarily entered into by both parties would be enforced in court.

Since then, Google Trends data shows that interest in them has slowly grown, hitting peak levels late last year.

Sophia said that take-up of the agreements was becoming increasingly popular and, while pre-nups may be perceived as unromantic by some, she believes they are the opposite.

Sophia said: “Pre-nuptial agreements are becoming increasingly commonplace and now carry more weight before the courts.

“It’s not unromantic, in fact it’s quite the opposite – by having a pre-nup, the couple are saying that they love their partner, not their partner’s money.”

In practical terms, Sophia said the cost of taking out a pre-nuptial agreement to protect pre-marital acquisitions was “negligible” compared to the cost of a potential court battle if a divorcing couple cannot agree on division of their assets.

She said: “Pre-nups are certainly advisable, especially in the case of second marriages, where there are pre-marital assets, or when there are children from a previous relationship involved.

“In the latter scenario, there are potentially more third parties to consider in any subsequent dispute over financial assets brought into a marriage if it ends in divorce.

“Having a pre-nup in place is a cost-effective way to prevent disputes and further friction at an already difficult time in the event of divorce.”

Sophia is urging both those intending to propose or those who have been proposed to, to consult with a specialist family law solicitor for advice.

She said: “A specialist family law solicitor will enable you to make an informed decision as to whether a prenuptial agreement is suitable for you.

“While some may think of pre-nups as being something which is just for the rich and famous, they are becoming increasingly common and can help you and your partner to organise your finances ahead of committing to marriage.”

 

Caption: Sophia Mellor, Partner and Head of the Family Department.

Blythe Liggins is a well established and respected legal practice based in Leamington Spa.

Due to expansion, we are keen to recruit an additional fee earner for our friendly and hard-working team.

The ideal candidate will

• Have knowledge of Wills, Probate and Court of Protection work.
• Be responsible for dealing with clients by phone, email and in person
• Have excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Be accurate and pay close attention to detail
• Be able to manage a heavy workload efficiently
• Have good organisational skills and able to prioritise multiple tasks

If you have a minimum of 12 months’ experience and are looking to further your career, please send your CV to dmb@blytheliggins.co.uk