Crawley assists anyone longing to be elsewhere to travel with lots of cabin crew staff residing in the area. Within the boundaries of the West Sussex town lies Gatwick Airport, the world’s busiest single-runway airport with 46.6 million total passengers in 2019 alone (RH6 0NP).

Speak to others going through a tough time in one of our online chatrooms

So what is there to do if you are staying put in Crawley?

Wings Museum – 12,000 square feet of aviation in a former farm building which feels like a hangar. There’s lots of WWII memorabilia and equipment. Bucklands Farm Brantridge Lane, Handcross RH17 6JT

Wakehurst Place is a beautiful botanic garden and house owned by The National Trust but run by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The house is a late 16th-century mansion. Worth a visit at Selsfield Road, Haywards Heath RH17 6TN.

Visit the West Sussex Hug Directory

Back to aviation and the Gatwick Aviation Museum is located in Charlwood on the boundary of the airport and their intention is to get as many aircraft as possible restored and possibly flying again. Vallance By Ways Lowfield Heath Road, Charlwood RH6 0BT

If you want some fresh air and green space, then head to Tilgate Park which was originally a 2185 acre part of the ancient Worth Forest. Titmus Drive, Crawley RH10 5PQ

If you are looking for a family solicitor, we have found the following firms in the local area

You won’t have to travel far to find these law firms:

• Stevensdrake Solicitors – 117-119 High Street, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 1DD
• Irwin Mitchell (multiple locations nationwide) – Belmont House, Station Way, Crawley, RH10 1JA
• Anthony Morris Solicitors – they are experts in Family Law and you can find their offices at 49 High Street, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 1BQ
• Lewis-Dick Limited – based in Ewell, Surrey at 443 kingston Road, KT19 0DG and in Crawley at 18 Brighton Rd, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 6AA
• Boots Starke Goacher – 2 East Park, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 6AS – also offering fixed price divorce

---

---

Solicitors and Barristers. Where do you start?

The best thing is to call a couple in your area and have a chat about possible divorce legal advice. Most will offer a free 30/45-minute face to face consultation. It’s really important that client and legal representative get along and that there is some kind of rapport. The client needs to feel that they are being heard.

If you have a face to face appointment, be ready with anything you may need to take with you such as marriage certificates, children’s birth certificates (if you don’t have them you can apply for copies online) and ID such as a driving licence and/or passport. Ask the Solicitor if the 30 minutes can be about listening to you and not getting these things in order. Documents can be dealt with by a legal secretary. Don’t allow the free time to be wasted.

More about Divorce and Dissolution

Which Solicitor Should I Choose?

Of course, there are different levels of Solicitors, but this doesn’t mean one is better than another. In London you may find yourself looking at fees of around £850 per hour if the team are only dealing with High Net Worth clients. On the outskirts and elsewhere in the country you might be able to find £150 per hour or a package deal which could be called a “fixed fee” – just ask about the extras such as court costs as they may be added on top. Make sure the solicitor is completely transparent.

What’s a MIAM?

Some firms will give set prices for certain tasks, but beware, because if you are in a particularly tricky divorce, these “packages” will run over and you will have excess charges added on for things such as a final hearing. Let’s face it, if you have to go through the court process, things are not going to be easy. In the grand scheme of things, with all the divorces that happen in the UK, not many actually end up in court as couples want to sort things out amicably and in the cheapest way possible.

---

---

Using a Barrister for a Divorce

It used to be the case that you had to have a solicitor to instruct a Barrister but now anyone can go directly to a Barrister without having to involve anyone else (such as a Solicitor). The Barrister’s role stays the same, as if they were instructed by a solicitor or other intermediary. They will advise you on your legal rights. However, you need to find a “Direct Access Barrister”. Often McKenzie Friends have contacts. Usually a Direct Access Barrister can still draft and send documents for a client. This is with regards to family law. In other types of cases a solicitor needs to be instructed to contact a barrister, so do seek legal advice for your particular case or speak to a Direct Access Barrister for their thoughts on your particular circumstances. Read the rest of this article

---

“I help separated parents to soften the impact of separation by strengthening their relationships with their children. I do it because I believe that our relationships are our most important “asset” in life and separation/divorce is an opportunity to heal our deepest wounds and create epic relationships in the future.”

Una Archer – Parenting after Separation features in The Hug Directory

---

Don’t forget to consider your financial future if you are going through divorce, separation or bereavement. We have found the following local financial advisers

Gateway Financial Consulting – 3rd Floor Pinnacle, Station Way, Crawley RH10 1JH

Maidencroft Financial Services – 15 The Courtyard, East Park, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 6AG

Facet – 2 Charlwood Court, County Oak Way, Crawley, West Sussex, RH11 7XA

Reeves Financial – Basepoint House, Metcalf Way, Crawley, West Sussex. RH11 7XX and also office at The Spinney, Coombe Hill Road, East Grinstead, West Sussex. RH19 4LZ and Independent House, 42 North Street, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 1RD

How will a financial planner help you?

Divorced, separated, widowed or going into another relationship; finances are important. However, boring the prospect may be, if you are starting a new chapter in your life, you need to get your finances in some kind of order. This is not only to protect yourself and your family for things which could happen in the future, but to give you the peace of mind that you have done everything you can to take control of your life once more. 

There are a number of general financial planning principles which a good advisor will follow to assess what you need. Long gone are the days of “mis-selling” products which you really didn’t need. (Think of PPI). Read the rest of this article

Find financial planners who specialise in divorce here

If you have children, you probably want to put something in place to protect them in the future too. Whatever income you have, it’s all about using every penny wisely. 

You could be in your 30’s or 60’s – it’s irrelevant; it’s always worth speaking to someone in the know, to ensure you are making good use of the funds available to you. Get a divorce financial planner. 

One of the first things a divorce financial planner will assess is your needs and aspirations for the future.

• When do you plan to retire? 
• Do you have any pensions? 
• Do you want to own your home? Where do you want to live?
• Do you want your children to be privately educated?
• What do you want your lifestyle to look like?

Advice and disclaimer. Check this out if you are using our site!