Special Fund

Garden Court's Special Fund is a unique source of funding within the legal profession.

We primarily make donations to small, progressive, cutting edge organisations doing legal, campaigning or charitable work in defence of civil liberties and/or social justice.

Every member of chambers contributes financially to the Special Fund.

Long term funding

We provide long term funding to 15 organisations. Each beneficiary receives £10,000 over a four year period
(£2,500 per year).

The 15 current beneficiaries of long term funding are:

• Asylum Support Appeals Project
• British & Irish Legal Information Institute (BAILII)
• British Irish Rights Watch
• Campaign Against the Arms Trade
• Corporate Watch
• Imkaan
• Inquest
• Institute of Race Relations
• International Centre for Trade Union Rights
• Just for Kids
• Newham Monitoring Project
• Reprieve
• Rights of Women
• Southall Black Sisters
• Statewatch

Short term funding

We also make a number of one-off donations every year of up to £1,000. In exceptional circumstances, we will consider applications for more than £1,000.

In 2009, the beneficiaries of short term funding were:

• Action for Palestinian Children
• AIRE Centre
• Art Saves Lives
• Bail for Immigration Detainees
• Bar Human Rights Committee
• Birmingham Law Centre
• Brent Private Tenants Rights Project
• Brighton Voices in Exile
• Bristol Refugee Rights
• Centre for Capital Punishment Studies
• Central London Law Centre
• Hackney Migrant Centre
• Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers
• Hibiscus Communications Youth & Community
• Ian Tomlinson Family Campaign
• Jail Guitar Doors & Militant Entertainment
• Justice for Columbia
• Justice for the North West 10 Campaign
• Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights
• London Somali Festival
• Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture
• Nafsiyat Intercultural Therapy Centre
• National Bargee Traveller Association
• Not Shut Up
• Object
• Prisoners' Advice Service
• Reprieve
• Streetwise Community Law Centre
• UNICEF research project
• World Development Movement

In 2008, the beneficiaries of short term funding were:

• AdvocAid
• Anti-Trafficking Legal Project
• Association of Panel Members
• Association of Sri Lankan Lawyers (UK) Tsunami Appeal
• British Institute of Human Rights
• British Irish Rights Watch
• Centre for Corporate Accountability
• Community Law Project's TAT News
• Corporate Watch
• Defence for Children International - Palestine Section
• Haslar Visitors Group
• Helen Bamber Foundation
• Just for Kids Law
• Justice 4 Jean Charles De Menezes Campaign
• Kurdish Human Rights Project
• Lorraine Poswa Mzimkhulu Pre-School (South Africa)
• Medical Aid for Palestinians
• National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns
• Norfolk Community Law Service
• Paddington Law Centre
• Peace Brigades International's Human Rights Defenders at Risk Fund
• Scientists for Global Responsibility
• Sheffield No Barriers No Borders
• Surrey Law Centre
• University of Kent Law Clinic
• Women Against Rape
• Young Vic Theatre

In 2007, the beneficiaries of short term funding were:

• Action on Rights for Children
• Anti-Slavery International
• Anti-Trafficking Legal Project
• Association of Sri Lankan Lawyers (UK)
• Clean Break
• Eaves Housing for Women Poppy Project
• Fawcett Society
• Free Representation Unit
• Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers
• Independent Asylum Commission
• Institute for Policy Research & Development
• Justice First
• Justice for Columbia
• KASMO newspaper
• Larry Grant Memorial Fund
• Legal Action for Women
• London Detainee Support Group
• M￩tis National Council of Women
• Minority Lawyers Conference
• National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns
• No-One is Illegal
• Paddington Law Centre
• Peace Brigades International
• Prisoners' Advice Service
• RCJ Advice Bureau
• Slough Immigration Aid Unit
• TAT News
• UK Lesbian & Gay Immigration Group
• UNLOCK
• Women's International League for Peace & Freedom

How to apply

If you want to apply for funding or require further information about the Special Fund, please write to
Rajiv Menon at Garden Court or email him on rajivm@gclaw.co.uk or telephone him on 020 7993 7803.

If you are applying for short term funding, you can apply at any time. If you are applying for long term funding, the next deadline will be 31 January 2012.

In your application for funding, please tell us about your organisation, set out in detail on what the money will be spent and enclose your most recent Annual Report or statement of accounts.

Our Facilities

Our meeting rooms at Garden Court are available to rent all year round, we offer special discounted rates for charities and NGOs. Click here to find out more information from our facilities page.