WHN has donated an initial £1,000 after becoming official patrons of Accrington health and wellbeing charity Community Solutions.

WHN will follow up the donation by playing a key role in ongoing fundraising activity for the charity, which is based in Elmfield Hall.

Founded in 2010, Community Solutions is a health and wellbeing organisation that promotes inclusivity, confidence and self-esteem among people experiencing difficult life events, while reducing social isolation through community engagement.

The charity’s 17 staff and 150 volunteers deliver community-based services such as one-to-one support, telephone befriending, counselling, 19 social groups, employment support and a variety of training opportunities.

The WHN donation will help to run Community Solutions’ social isolation projects, particularly its social groups.

Community Solutions chief executive Deborah Clark commented: “We are delighted to welcome WHN Solicitors as one of our patrons and recognise the work they do locally, as both a firm of solicitors and supporters of charity work over many years.”

“The donation comes at a time when we need to expand our social isolation work to meet many health and wellbeing issues and we are thrilled that this donation will help us to do that. And, of course, we are looking forward to working together in partnership on many other aspects of our work.”

Diane Matthews, who is a legal executive in WHN’s family team, added: “As new patrons, we are especially keen to get involved in the work of Community Solutions, as they really make a positive difference to the wellbeing of local people going through challenging times, and to the community as a whole.”

“Community Solutions supports thousands of people of all ages and backgrounds each year. They work with people going through life transitions such as bereavement, health diagnosis, family breakdown, redundancy and retirement. In a nutshell, they support anyone who is lonely and socially isolated, along with their wider families and carers.”

As part of WHN’s ongoing commitment, Diane will attend Community Connections events on Fridays from 10am until 12 noon at Elmfield Hall, when she will run a legal drop-in clinic.

She said: “I am a family law specialist but will happily talk to anyone who walks in with a legal question and will be able to contact a colleague with specialist knowledge who will help.”