Collected donations through the partnership will be dispersed through the Foundation’s Neighbourhood funding programme which addresses local issues, social problems and disadvantage due to age, illness, disability, isolation, discrimination or financial hardship.

Jon Yates, chief executive at the Foundation, commented: ‘We are very pleased to launch this partnership with a well-respected solicitors’ firm such as Humphries Kirk. The unclaimed client balances will be invested in local communities where Humphries Kirk employees and clients are based and will make a real difference locally.’

Simon Cross, head of private client at Humphries Kirk, commented: ‘We are delighted to be working with Dorset Community Foundation. The Foundation has over 18 years’ grant-making experience which will enable us to make maximum impact through the unclaimed client balances donations.

Unclaimed client balances can build up when all steps to find the whereabouts of a potential beneficiary have been unsuccessful.’

Dorset Community Foundation is one of few charities that can provide an indemnity and hold the funds into a general endowment earmarked for a particular firm.

Humphries Kirk provides legal expertise to private and commercial clients, with offices in Dorchester, Crewkerne, Wareham, Swanage, Poole, Parkstone, Bournemouth and London as well and an international network of lawyers.