On 5th December, Franklins Solicitors LLP marked an exciting new chapter with the grand opening of our flagship office at Ashton House, Silbury Boulevard, Milton Keynes. The event brought together over 80 clients and stakeholders for a festive celebration, showcasing the firm’s commitment to innovation and excellence.

The evening featured guided tours of the state-of-the-art office on the third floor, which boasts cutting-edge technology and a range of modern spaces designed for meetings and collaboration. The festive celebration, held in the lobby of Ashton House, included drinks, canapés, and a close-up magician, who kept guests entertained throughout the event.

Simon Long, Managing Partner, expressed gratitude to guests for their support and reflected on the significance of the move, following over 40 years at the firm’s previous location at Silbury Court. He also expressed thanks to Mango Interiors Group Ltd and iOTA – Commercial Design and Furniture for doing an amazing job with the office design and fit-out and to Bray Fox Smith who managed the lease negotiations.

Speaking about the event, Simon said:
“We are absolutely delighted with our new office at Ashton House and proud to show our guests around the new space. This represents an exciting new chapter for Franklins, one that reflects our growth and our ongoing commitment to providing outstanding legal services. The modern design and prime location make it the ideal setting for us to continue building strong relationships with our clients and to continue growing our talented team.”

About the offices, Equity Partner, Lee Holmes said:
“A lot of time and thought has gone into the layout and design of the office to optimise the space and the needs of different departments within the Firm and to create an environment where staff can collaborate, ensuring a strong team morale and excellent client service.”

Asking employees their thoughts on the new office:
“As an employment lawyer I am on a lot of Teams calls and the seamless integration of technology is game changing. The meeting rooms also offer a bright, welcoming space to meet clients.” Sara Marshall, Employment Partner

“The new space demonstrates the care and consideration that the Partners have put into the office, so many small details have been thought about.” Mandip Bhachu, Family Lawyer

“I have been with the Firm nearly 20 years and we have never had everyone in the MK office on one floor, it has been fantastic to be able to see and to get know more of my colleagues.” Chris Buck, Insolvency & Commercial Partner

Michaela Randall from Ad Valorem, a guest at the event said of the new office:
“Stepping into this new Franklins Solicitors’ new office is like entering a space where expertise meets integrity. Every detail, from the welcoming atmosphere to the professional service, reflects a commitment to serving clients with precision and care. Their new premium space is softened with considered detail such as a well-being room and sporting memorabilia ‘Go MK Lightning!”

Rosanna Stimson, Head of Marketing, also spoke about the Franklins £50 Challenge 2025, an annual corporate fundraising campaign supporting 12 local charities. She shared the Firm’s hopes for raising at least £50,000 for 2025 and signing up at least 60 teams. Further information about the £50 Challenge can be found here.

We are excited to continue building on our solid foundations as we move into 2025 and beyond.

A record number of teams have signed up for a charity challenge to raise funds for eight charities from across Milton Keynes and Northamptonshire.

The Apprentice-style fundraising challenge, has a total of 42 teams taking part – the highest number since the challenge first launched in 2018 and up by 17 from last year’s 25 teams.

The 2024 challenge got underway on Tuesday 20 February and teams have already started their fundraising efforts with initiatives ranging from doughnut sales to raffles, dress down days, netwalks and office swear boxes.

The Apprentice-style fundraising challenge sees each team receive £50 from Franklins Solicitors. The teams then have three months to turn the seed funding into more money for their chosen charity. Since it began in 2018, the Franklins £50 Challenge has raised more than £100,000 for local charities, showcasing the potential for collective efforts to bring about meaningful transformation.

The eight charities benefitting from this year’s challenge are Cynthia Spencer Hospice, the Hope Centre, The Lewis Foundation, Northamptonshire Community Foundation, Willen Hospice, MK Act, Harry’s Rainbow and YMCA.

Former Apprentice star and Countdown presenter Nick Hewer has also wished the teams well and shown his support for the Franklins £50 Challenge in a social media video. Lord Sugar’s former right-hand man recently met some of the representatives from the charities and teams taking part at a networking event organised by Northampton BID.

In a special video, Nick Hewer, who lives in Northamptonshire, said:

“I wish all of the teams taking part the very best of luck and look forward to hearing about all their fundraising successes. Who will be the star candidates? Only time will tell!”

Andrea Smith, Partner at Franklins Solicitors, said:

“We are delighted that so many teams have risen to the challenge and decided to put their entrepreneurial and team-building skills to the test. The ultimate aim of the Franklins £50 Challenge is to fight hunger, fuel wellness and change local lives. Last year the challenge raised more than £20,000 but with so many teams taking part this year we hope to raise a record-breaking amount of money for local charities.”

The 42 teams taking part this year are from the following organisations:

Travis Perkins, Towergate Insurance, Syncro Office Technology, Piroto Labelling Ltd, Keep Moat, Chartwell Controls, OneFourSix, The Brady Creative, Commsave, Virtual Sales Team, MacIntyre Hudson, All Things Business, I Love Catering, Facilities Management Solutions, Franklins Solicitors, Soiltechnics, Hawsons Chartered Accountants, Openreach, Acorn Commercial Finance, Boom 7, Laugh Out Loud Theatre Company, Beyond the Podium Ltd, Metro Bank, Cottons Group, Amazon (Daventry), Delapre Abbey, House of Mystery Ltd, Nationwide Building Society, Quest Employment, Handpicked Hotels (Fawsley Hall), Sophisticake Creations, Work Buzz, John Lewis & Partners, Aiimi Ltd, Somnium Recruitment Ltd, Plumbing & Gas Solutions Ltd, Smith Jenkins Planning & Heritage and Brioche Pasquier.

The 2024 challenge runs until Tuesday 21 May. Follow the progress of the teams and their fundraising efforts on Franklins’ social media accounts: @FranklinsSols on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter), or on Facebook and LinkedIn by searching Franklins Solicitors LLP. More information about how the challenge works can also be found at: www.franklins50.co.uk

Photo from L-R: Katie Vickers – Northamptonshire Community Foundation, Dean Jones – Northamptonshire Community Foundation, George Smith – Franklins Solicitors LLP, Simon Long – Franklins Solicitors LLP, Nick Hewer, Denise Watson – Franklins Solicitors LLP, Lorraine Lewis – The Lewis Foundation, Rosanna Stimson – Franklins Solicitors LLP, Steven Dryden-Hall – Boom 7.