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One of the UK’s leading golf groups has announced it has formally adopted the principles of Hugh’s Law, a policy designed to ensure no parent is forced to choose between work and being at the bedside of a critically ill child.
Support for families
Under the policy, employees of The Bridgedown Group will be supported to take leave from work to be present in hospital when their child is seriously ill. This includes job protection and financial security during what is often the most traumatic period of a family’s life.
The Bridgedown Group owns The Shire London, The Inspiration, The West London Golf Centre and the upcoming Legacy Club.
The story behind Hugh’s Law
Hugh’s Law is the result of more than three years of campaigning by Ceri Menai Davis, Director of The Bridgedown Group, following the death of his son Hugh in 2021. Hugh was six years old and had spent ten months battling a rare form of cancer.
Ceri Menai Davis, a former recipient of the PGA Tony Sunderland Award, has since led a national campaign calling for statutory protections for working parents when a child becomes critically ill.
His work has involved extensive engagement with Parliament, ministers and employers, arguing that work should never add pressure during a medical crisis.
Growing national recognition
As a result of the campaign, Hugh’s Law has now been formally named in the forthcoming Carer’s Leave Review, with a dedicated chapter confirmed in the House of Commons.
This followed an amendment tabled in the House of Lords in July 2025 by Baroness Tanni Grey Thompson which, although unsuccessful, significantly advanced parliamentary debate on the issue.
The policy proposes that parents of critically ill children should be entitled to up to 12 weeks of paid leave at the statutory leave rate. Leave would be taken in defined blocks and supported by medical confirmation, offering clarity for employers and certainty for families.
Golf leads by example
The Bridgedown Group’s decision follows a recent announcement by Brentford FC, which confirmed it has incorporated the principles of Hugh’s Law into its own staff leave policies.
Managing Director Tony Menai Davis said the move reflected both compassion and good business practice.
“When a child is critically ill, nothing else matters. No parent should be worrying about their pay, their job or whether they will be penalised for being where they need to be.
By adopting the principles of Hugh’s Law, the group is showing that compassion, clarity and good business can go hand in hand.
“The work and time that Ceri and Frances have committed to campaigning for this in honour of my grandson Hugh is inspirational and we hope we are the first of many clubs to adopt these principles.”
A wider movement
The adoption of Hugh’s Law principles reflects a growing movement among UK employers who are choosing to act ahead of legislation. Many now recognise that structured, time limited support for parents is both humane and operationally workable.
More information about the campaign can be found at www.hughslaw.uk.
About Hugh’s Law
Hugh’s Law was founded in memory of six year old Hugh Menai Davis, who died from rhabdomyosarcoma in 2021.
After Hugh’s death, his parents Ceri and Frances Menai Davis set up the charity It’s Never You after experiencing first hand the lack of support available to parents when a child becomes critically ill.
Over the past three years the campaign has pushed for change in Parliament, leading to debates, amendments and formal recognition within a Government review.
Hugh’s Law aims to ensure parents are supported rather than abandoned when their child’s life is on the line.
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