Up Coming Events
NCLS 40th Anniversary Celebration
We are delighted to announce a very special event in 2025 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Norfolk Community Law Service.
Sprowston Manor Hotel will be the venue for an absolutely stellar evening of entertainment, laughter and dancing.
To mark 1985 being our founding year, we are holding a very special 80s-themed event and are encouraging people to come in their best 80s look!
Full details and tickets will be released in the new year, but for now save the date of Saturday, October 4th.
Sponsorship packages will be available – contact Heidi Wirth at heidi@ncls.co.uk to find out more and register your interest.
NCLS Law Lecture 2025
We are delighted to welcome leading British human rights lawyer and campaigner Baroness Shami Chakrabarti to Norwich as this year’s speaker.
Baroness Chakrabarti, who was formerly Director of Liberty and Shadow Attorney General for England and Wales, will discuss human rights, why they matter and how they are being endangered, in the event being hosted at Jarrolds, on London Street, in Norwich, on Thursday, November 28.
The evening event comes on the back of the release of her new book, Human Rights: The Case for the Defence, copies of which will be available on the night. There will also be the chance for a short Q&A after the lecture.
The event is being generously sponsored by Birketts LLP and the Norfolk and Norwich Law Society.
On the subject of human rights and her lecture, Baroness Chakrabarti wrote: “Our human rights are endangered. After the devastation of World War Two the international community united to enshrine fundamental rights to refuge, health, education and living standards. They protected privacy, fair trials and free speech and outlawed torture, slavery and discrimination. Their goal was greater global justice, equality and peace. That settlement is now under attack from opponents on both left and right and populist and authoritarian movements worldwide. Simultaneously, we are threatened by war, inequality, new tech and climate catastrophe, crises human rights can help us address.
“To believe in human rights is to believe in human beings. If they – and we – are to survive, these rights must be owned and understood by everyone.”
Baroness Chakrabarti is a leading British human rights lawyer and campaigner who has written and broadcast widely and held a number of public roles in recent decades. A legislator in the House of Lords, she is the author of On Liberty and Of Women. Director of Liberty (the National Council for Civil Liberties) from 2003 to 2016, she was Shadow Attorney General for England and Wales from 2016 to 2020.
The event begins at 5.30pm and will finish at 8pm and will be held in The Pantry, Jarrolds. Tickets include arrival drinks and post-event canapes. They are priced at £15 for general admission and £10 for students.
To book tickets visit Eventbrite.
Past Events
NCLS Law Lecture 2023 – Dominic Grieve
We were honoured to host Dominic Grieve and around 100 supporter’s of NCLS at Norwich Cathedral last night for his fascinating and inspiring lecture on the rule of law. Thank you to all those who attended.
The lecture was incredibly thought-provoking and a transcript can be found here.
He took the audience through a bit of a potted history of law and how it underpins, or at least should underpin, so much of society and government.
However, in his mind, the current government is repeatedly guilty of twisting or ignoring the law to suit its own cause.
He also spoke of his anger at how so many people can no longer gain access to justice and therefore the important role organisations like NCLS play in not only filling this gap, but fighting for the people we support by highlighting to the powers that be the cost of this.
If he was in power, the first thing he would do is look at how legal aid could be restored in many of the areas where it has been diminished by successive governments. Hear hear to that!
Bring and Buy Plant and Book Sale
In May a Bring and Buy plant and book sale was held in support of NCLS. As well as items for sale there was music, refreshments and a raffle. Over £1700 was raised. A big thank you goes to Ms Baulcombe who arranged the sale.
Charity Christmas Tree Festival, St Peter Mancroft Church, Norwich
NCLS decorated a Christmas Tree at this years Charity Christmas Tree Festival. The festival, which was supported by Rotary, raised money for Norfolk Blood Bikes which is a charity run by local volunteers that transports blood, plasma, platelets, samples, vaccines, donor breast milk & any other urgently required medical items to hospitals –
NCLS Annual Law Lecture 2018
On 1st November Lord Willy Bach spoke on ‘The Right to Justice and the Necessity for the Reform of Legal Aid’.
NCLS Annual Law Lecture 2017
We were delighted to have Martha Spurrier, the new Director of Liberty, talk at this year’s Annual Law Lecture in November 2017
NCLS Scavenger Hunt 2017
We held our second annual Scavenger Hunt on 20th July at the Mash Tun. Nearly 50 people came along and followed the trail around Norwich, answering questions and collecting items to earn points and win prizes. A well earned buffet was provided at the end of the hunt for all participants.
The hunt raised over £300 for NCLS, and we look forward to holding the event again next year.
Norwich Legal Walk 2017
Organised by the Eastern Legal Support Trust this years legal walk took place on 15th May. Team NCLS took part in the 10km walk around Norwich to raise awareness adn funds to help plug the gao left be cuts to Government funding.
Thanks to those who supported us we raised nearly £400 which will go to support our Free Legal Advice service.
The Great Legal Bake 2017
This years bake sale was a great success! As well as people dropping in we also provided an order and delivery service to local organisations. We raised a brilliant £196.26 which will go towards supporting our Free Legal Advice service. Thanks to everyone who came along and supported us!
Quiz Night – Wednesday 16th November
Another successful quiz night was held at the Unthank Arms, Norwich which raised nearly £500 to go towards funding our services.
Annual Public Law Lecture
On Monday 3rd October the Norwich Cathedral Hostry saw NCLS and Leeway Domestic Abuse Services continue their partnership working to host an important address from the Police and Crime Commissioner for Northumbria, Vera Baird QC.
Vera spoke on the topic of accountability within the Police and Judiciary concerning violence against women and girls, and ways in which she is working with agencies in Northumbria to ensure the experience of victims if abuse is improved.
The full audience included the Police and Crime Commissioner for Norfolk, Lorne Green and the chairs of the Norfolk County Community Safety Partnership and Norfolk Safeguarding Boards who sponsored the event.
Vera Baird said afterwards: “It was great to have a full house which shows just how seriously this issue is taken by a great range of people in Norfolk. There is a job still to do, particular in rural area. We would be delighted to bring the ideas we have explored in Northumbria, in the hope that they can be taken on, and that we in turn can learn from you”.
Many Proctor, Chief Executive of Leeway said “It was a fantastic talk by a truly inspiring speaker. The ideas she expressed were highly innovative and we look forward to working with both her and NCLS in the future”.
NCLS Fundraising Scavenger Hunt
The first NCLS Scavenger Hunt took place in September and a great time was had by all. £90 was raised to go towards supporting NCLS’s services. Thank you to everyone who took part and supported us.
We plan to hold a bigger and better Scavenger Hunt next year so watch this space!
The Great Legal Bake 2016
Norfolk Community Law Service took part in the Great Legal Bake on Wednesday 3rd February 2016. Staff and volunteers baked savoury and sweet treats to sell at our office on Colegate, with all proceeds going to NCLS.
Through this event we made over £125 to help support our Free Legal Advice Service. A big thank you goes to all those who provided bakes and came along to support us on the day.
NCLS Quiz Night
A total of £485.50 was raised at the NCLS Quiz Night on 4th November which was organised by the Supporters of Norfolk Community Law Service. Thank you to those who donated prizes for the raffle and came along, a great night was had by all!
Bishop’s Garden Reception
Thanks to everyone who attended and made this a very successful event in aid of our parent support pilot at the Family Court. £760 was raised for this important project on a beautiful summery evening. Our special thanks to the Bishop for enabling us to hold the reception and enjoy the beautiful garden, and to Andy Cobb – by day our Money Advisor – who played wonderful summer music for the event.