Regional charity commits to Derby with lease renewal

A regional charity that aims to provide a safe, friendly and inclusive environment to those who have experienced the death of a child, parent or sibling will be able to continue helping the people of Derby – following a commercial property deal supported by law firm Nelsons.

The Laura Centre, which is celebrating its 30th birthday this year, opened its Derby base on Vernon Street eight years ago after being asked to bring the charity – originally set up in Leicester – to the city. Since its inception, the organisation has grown enormously – from working with 80 people in its first year to supporting more than 400 throughout 2020.

Set up by Gail and Harry Moore, the charity delivers free therapeutic support to anyone who has lost a family member, recognising the lifelong impact of such a loss, and works collaboratively with service users to help each individual person find their own ways of coping.

Nelsons – which has offices in Derby, Leicester and Nottingham – has provided advice to The Laura Centre for a number of years, supporting with the taking and renewal of multiple leases.

Martin Jinks, partner and solicitor specialising in commercial property at Nelsons and also a notary, said: “Sadly, the bereavement of a family member is something that every single one of us will experience during our lifetime, and the work that The Laura Centre does can make the world of difference to those who are struggling to come to terms with such a loss.

“It’s been an absolute pleasure, and truly rewarding, to be able to offer our expertise over the past few years and to support Gail and Harry at The Laura Centre as they continue to provide crucial support to the people who need it most.”

The Laura Centre was set up as part of the charity COPE, which was also founded by Gail and Harry after their daughter Laura tragically died from leukaemia when she was just five years old.

Gail said: “The death of a child completely changes the whole order of things. At the time of Laura’s passing there was nothing in the community for families in our situation and we wanted to ensure that, for anyone going through a similar situation to us, there was that support available moving forwards – that’s how The Laura Centre was born.

“What started as a small charity offering support to people who had lost children, like we had, has transformed into a vital facility that has guided hundreds of families and individuals through the most difficult of times. We’ve even expanded our offering to provide guidance to children and young people who have been affected by the death of a parent or sibling after seeing the impact losing a sister had on our son, and Laura’s twin, Kit.

“This is the third time Nelsons has assisted us with the renewal of the lease at our Derby premises and the support and advice they provide is always second to none. We’d like to thank everyone at the firm for their ongoing support, which has allowed us to continue making significant change through The Laura Centre. I also know that, over the years, Martin and Nelsons have assisted many other charities and ‘not-for-profit’ organisations. They really are a super example of a firm with a great sense of social responsibility.”