News
29th November 2024
The festive season has officially begun in Ottery St Mary! Claire Collett and Sue Ellen Lee from Gilbert Stephens Solicitors have beautifully decorated our Christmas tree, which will be on display in Ottery St Mary Parish Church from tomorrow until the 30th of November.
This year marks six years since we sadly lost Liz Govier, a beloved Private Client Solicitor at our Ottery office. Liz would decorate our Christmas tree every year, and now her daughter, Claire, continues this special tradition in her memory.
We encourage everyone to drop by the church and admire the wonderful Christmas trees on display. The festival is open from 11am to 5pm, Wednesday to Saturday, and 11am to 4pm on Sunday. Admission is free, and there will be refreshments, craft stalls, and carol singing to add to the festive atmosphere.
We’ll also be open on the evening of Friday, 29th November, for Ottery’s Festive Cheer event! Join us for some mulled wine, mince pies, and chocolates for the little ones!
25th November 2024
Gilbert Stephens Solicitors were delighted to support the Crediton Operatic and Dramatic Society (CODS) as sponsors of their 60th Anniversary Winter Ball, held at the Waie Inn in Zeal Monachorum.
The evening featured a delicious three-course meal, casino tables, live music from All Jazzed Up, and a disco that kept the dance floor lively late into the night. Guests were also wowed by the incredible magician Graham Prigg, whose performance we were thrilled to sponsor.
Unfortunately, due to the unforeseen British weather, which left many snowed in, our team were unable to attend the celebration in person. However, we are proud to have been part of such a memorable occasion and to celebrate CODS’ remarkable 60-year milestone from afar.
Gilbert Stephens Solicitors would like to extend a big thank you to the organisers for creating such a fantastic evening for everyone to enjoy.
We look forward to continuing our ongoing support for CODS at many more events and shows in the New Year!
22nd November 2024
At Gilbert Stephens Solicitors, we are proud to once again support the incredible efforts of the CR2EE Charity. This year, our team have been busy preparing shoeboxes filled with essential items and thoughtful gifts to bring smiles and comfort to those in need in Moldova and Ukraine.
We would also like to extend a special thank you to our very own Paige Speakman and her wonderful family, who went above and beyond by personally filling an 11 shoeboxes! Their kindness and dedication are an inspiration to us all.
At Gilbert Stephens Solicitors, we are committed to supporting our community and beyond and are thrilled to contribute to such a meaningful cause. Thank you to everyone who got involved!
If you’d like to learn more about CR2EE Charity or how you can get involved, visit their website for more details: Christian Response | cr2ee | Humanitarian Aid | Moldova | Ukraine | Starcross UK
13th November 2024
Happy World Kindness Day!
At Gilbert Stephens, we kicked off World Kindness Day in a delicious way! This morning, everyone across all offices arrived to the surprise of freshly made bacon sandwiches – a wonderful treat to start the day!
Today, we’re encouraging everyone to spread a little extra kindness, whether it’s a smile, a helping hand, or a kind word. Together, these gestures can brighten someone’s day and strengthen our community.
“At Gilbert Stephens, kindness is the foundation of our culture,” says CEO Vicky Thompson. “While celebrating World Kindness Day is wonderful, it’s essential that kindness weaves through our everyday lives.”
Vicky Thompson, and Partner, Jonathan Cave, (pictured below) joined in the celebration, enjoying their sandwiches in between meetings!
Let’s all make the most of this day by spreading positivity wherever we go. Happy World Kindness Day from everyone at Gilbert Stephens!
11th November 2024
Exeter City’s Remembrance Sunday Service
On Sunday, we were deeply honoured to participate in Exeter’s Remembrance Sunday Service, where we had the opportunity to lay a wreath at Northernhay’s War Memorial. The ceremony brought our community together to remember to those who sacrificed their lives for our country.
Nysha Forsey (Solicitor) and Madeleine Youngs (Paralegal) represented Gilbert Stephens, laying a wreath on behalf of the firm. They joined veterans, local officials, and community members to pay their respects to those who lost their lives.
Nysha described the service as ‘a moving service to commemorate our fallen heroes’ and Madeleine said that ‘it was a touching service to remember the servicemen and women that have sacrificed their lives for our nation.’
We will remember them.
6th November 2024
Attending the annual Tar Barrels event in Ottery St Mary last night was a fantastic experience, full of adrenaline, tradition, and a strong sense of community spirit.
Held every year, this unique and historic event draws people from all over the South West to witness the daring spectacle of flaming tar barrels being carried through the streets. This event believed to have started in the 17th Century. The exact origins are unknown but most likely started after the gunpowder plot of 1605, however, some others say it was used to fumigate cottages and as a warning of the approach of the Spanish armada.
The atmosphere was buzzing throughout the whole evening, with the streets packed full of everyone excited to see the barrel runners in action. It was incredible to watch strength and courage of the barrel runners, some of which have been taking part in this tradition for many generations!
Ava Hill attended from Gilbert Stephens and said ‘Watching the tar barrels last night left me completely speechless. I was completely blown away by just how many people had travelled from near and far to Ottery St Mary to witness this tradition. I have to say, it was pretty terrifying at points being in the square with the flaming tar barrels running towards you, but it was a fantastic experience and I cannot wait to attend next year too!’
Overall, it was a fantastic night filled with excitement and tradition. We feel privileged to have been able to support this historic event in the Ottery St Mary community.
4th November 2024
Last Friday, our Okehampton team had the pleasure of attending the Okehampton Christmas Lights Dinner, an annual event organised to raise funds for the town’s festive display.
Attending from Gilbert Stephens were: Conall Ryan, David Smith, Philip Horlock, Linda Jewell and Hilda Marshall alongside their guests, Martin from Mansbridge Balment, Adam from Simpkins Edwards and Lynn from Home Instead. Everyone was treated to a delicious three-course meal, whilst catching up with many familiar faces, as well as meeting new members of the community, all while supporting a cause that brings joy to the town every year.
The entertainment was amazing, and the room buzzed with energy as fantastic live music set the perfect festive tone. The highlight of the evening, however, was a mind-blowing performance by Chris James. His performance of levitation and mind reading left everyone in awe, with guests still talking about it long after the show had ended!
Conall Ryan, Partner at Gilbert Stephens said: “What a great fun evening we had on Friday, helping raise funds for the Okehampton Christmas Lights, as organised by Christine Marsh of Everything Okehampton. Thank you to Adam Wosnitzka (Simpkins Edwards), Lynn Roddy (Home Instead) and Martyn Cox (Mansbridge Balment) for being our guests. A special mention should also go to our very own, Hilda and to our guest, Adam, who were both very able assistants to the entertainer, Chris Acton, with his magic tricks and mind reading.”
David Smith, Office Manager also attended and said: ‘We all had a lovely evening at the Okehampton Lights Dinner on Friday – thank you Lynn, Adam and Martyn for joining us! The food was delicious and the entertainment was great – Hilda was even called up on stage by Chris, the entertainment, who took her watch off her wrist without her knowing!’
Overall, the evening was a fun and memorable occasion, contributing to the magical Christmas lights that will brighten up Okehampton for the Christmas season.
A huge thank you to the organisers and to everyone who came along and supported this fantastic event – we were delighted to be able to support our local community in festive spirit!
28th October 2024
Last night marked the final night of our private art viewings, showcasing the incredible artwork of local artist, Janet Jarvis.
For the past few months, Janet’s unique pieces have been hung at our Okehampton and Crediton offices, adding a fantastic pop of colour and creativity to our communal spaces.
Over both exhibitions held in our Crediton and Okehampton offices, it was a pleasure to see people come together to admire Janet’s work, and we would like to thank everyone who attended and supported the exhibitions.
Janet’s art has brought a ray of sunshine to our offices, and we are grateful to have had the opportunity to host her exhibition!
We look forward to continuing to bring art into our workplace and sharing it with our clients and the local communities. Thank you again to all who joined us for these evenings!
28th October 2024
This weekend, Gilbert Stephens Solicitors had the pleasure of sponsoring the exciting Crediton v Teignmouth rugby match at Crediton Rugby Club.
We hosted just under 100 guests, including clients, friends, and local rugby enthusiasts, who joined us for a day of sunshine, competition, and community spirit! Our day began with a fantastic lunch, where our guests mingled and caught up with familiar faces, all while sharing in the anticipation of the match. Following the meal, we headed pitch-side, ready to cheer on Crediton Rugby Club in a thrilling match between them and Teignmouth RFC.
After much anticipation, Crediton Rugby Club claimed victory with a well-earned score of 62 v 12. Both teams played with determination, keeping the crowd on their feet the whole way through. It was a fantastic display of talent and we were honored to play a part in celebrating their efforts on such an exciting day. One of the highlights of the day was getting the chance to select the Man of the Match for each team. Our chosen players from both teams were presented with their awards, local cider from Sanford Orchard, during the post-match presentation.
The fun continued well into the afternoon with more conversations and laughter amongst everyone who attended and we would like to give a heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us and to Crediton Rugby Club for making this day such a memorable one. We’re proud to support local rugby and look forward to more exciting games ahead!
14th October 2024
Space-Themed Charity Week in Support of Children’s Hospice South West
In celebration of World Space Week, we hosted a week-long series of space-themed activities across all offices to raise money for our charity of the year, Childrens Hospice South West. We are delighted to share that through all our efforts, we managed to raise £221 to support this vital charity, bringing our annual total to £1,426.26 so far.
Our charity week kicked off on Monday with an exciting Bake Off, where participants brought in delicious space-themed cakes. Debbie Egan took the crown with her incredible Moon Cake, whilst Ava’s and Paige’s creative Space-Themed Cupcakes earned them second place. In Crediton, local businesses even came along to buy the delicious sweet treats people had made!
On Tuesday and Wednesday, we held various quizzes and games, keeping with the space theme! Some of the favourite games were ‘match the fact to your colleague’ and ‘Guess the number of flying saucers in the jar’. The quiz champion were Matt, Paige, Dan and Claire, who scored the highest in our space-themed quiz and Dana took the win in the ‘match the fact’ quiz. Jen took home the prize for guessing the number of flying saucers in the jar – she was only 1 number off!
We finally closed the week on Friday with our much-anticipated rocket building competition. 3 teams got creative and designed their own rockets using anything they could find around the building! The winning team, consisting of Xanthe and Debbie, wowed everyone with their enormous rocket (pictured below!).
We closed our week of fundraising with lots of fun, laughter, and most importantly, a fantastic contribution to Children’s Hospice South West. Thank you to Antonia and Laura for putting on such a fantastic week for everyone and to everyone from all offices who participated and donated to our fundraising week.
