On Friday 28 September Ramsdens Solicitors’ team of superheroes took on the Tour de Ramsdens 107 mile cycle route across our 14 offices, starting in Easingwold, York at 5am and finishing at the Ramsden Street office in Huddersfield at 7:45pm, in aid of The Laura Crane Youth Cancer Trust.

Christmas is closer than we all think and closer than some would care to imagine but it will be here before we know it. For most, Christmas is the happiest time of the year and is filled with fun times with family. For others, particularly separated families, it can be the most difficult time of the year.

The recent case of Goldman Sachs International v Procession House Trustee Ltd [2018] illustrates the difficulties that the parties to a lease may have when exercising a break option. In this case the tenant, Goldman Sachs, occupied office premises under a 25 year lease at a rent of £4 million per year. The terms of the lease provided that a break option would be exercisable by the tenant after 20 years subject to there being no rent arrears and “subject to the tenant being able to yield up the premises with vacant possession”.

Leicestershire Council and the respective Police force are appealing against a court decision to award compensation to a sex abuse victim. This appeal has been initiated following a criminal case that heard a convicted paedophile was housed, by professionals, close to the children’s home where the victim resided. In 2006, Martin Todd was sentenced for three-and-a-half years for 10 breaches of the Sexual Offence Prevention Order made against him. These orders being granted by a Judge following the conclusion of a sexual abuse criminal investigation and intended to prohibit convicted sex offenders from certain behaviours, minimising their ability to re-offend.

In 2004, the government introduced the reform that same-sex couples could enter into a civil partnership offering greater legal protection and financial security. In 2013, the government introduced that same-sex couples would be able to get married in the UK. In June 2018, a landmark appeal made by Rebecca Steinfeld and Charles Keidan at the Supreme court, was won, entitling mixed-sex couples to enter into civil partnerships.

Today is International Foster Carer Appreciation Day. We spoke to our colleague, Nicole, a member of our Child Care Department. Nicole is a “foster sibling” and her Mum does an amazing job of fostering vulnerable young children. Nicole has shared her thoughts about life as a foster sibling and why, in her view, fostering truly is an amazing job.

The World Federation for Mental Health established World Mental Health Day on 10 October 1992 and this years campaign is centered around ‘young people and mental health in a changing world.’

ACAS has published new guidance for employers in relation to suspending employees from work. Although the guidance is not binding it is recommended that employers follow it.