New Sunderland advice firm aims to take sting out of legal costs

Dr Angela Wilcock, former social sciences lecturer at the University of Sunderland, has launched the Family Advisory Service to support people with family issues without the hefty legal costs.

Angela set up the community interest company with help from the North East Business and Innovation Centre (BIC).

The aim of the Family Advisory Service is to promote strong, positive family ties and help families overcome conflict and promote social cohesion.

She founded the organisation after helping a family friend regain contact with his daughter and witnessing first-hand just how little support was on offer and how much legal providers were able to charge for simple tasks such as completing forms and accessing advice.

After guiding him through the legal process, the friend gained access to his child for the first time in over six months and the interaction inspired Angela to set up on her own and help others in similar circumstances access the same support which helped him through the process.

She said: “He was being quoted over £1,000 just to access advice and start the court process and I knew there had to be a better and cheaper solution.

“After seeking out support from other organisations, we were surprised to find that there was nowhere that offered the service he required and so, with my expertise as a lecturer and researcher and having previously worked with voluntary and family support organisations, I helped guide him through the entire process after just two hour-long catch-ups.

“That was what inspired me to explore the idea of setting up my own non-for-profit organisation to help others in similar circumstances. After taking time out from work and realising my passion was in front-line service provision, I approached the BIC and pitched my idea to them.”

BIC social enterprise advisers Ernest Dodds and Kevin Marquis guided her through the process of setting up a non-for-profit organisation.

She said: “Ernest and Kevin were absolutely fantastic and I can’t thank them enough for all their support.”