The Manchester Legal Walk, Thursday 29 September 2016
Join your local legal walk as a team or individual in aid of access to justice and raise funds for free legal advice services in Manchester and the North West.
Legal Profession Unites to Walk For Justice
The legal profession and advice sector are joining forces on Thursday 29th September 2016 to take part in the Manchester Legal Walk.
The Legal Walk is one of over 30 similar events which run across England, Wales and Scotland. The early evening sponsored walk raises funds for local free legal advice charities in Manchester and throughout the North West. Teams from local law firms, chambers and in-house legal teams are expected to come together along with local judges to support local advice services such as Citizens Advice Bureau and Law Centres.
The event is run by the North West Legal Support Trust (NWLST). The NWLST was formed in 2010 to raise and distribute funds to support the provision of free legal advice in Manchester and throughout North West England to those who otherwise would not be able to afford it. It is part of a network of Legal Support Trusts, working with the Access to Justice Foundation, to facilitate the access to specialist legal advice for the poorest and most vulnerable people in the community.
The organisations supported by the event make a huge difference in the lives of many people. The recent cuts to civil legal aid have not only affected the legal profession, but have also drastically impacted the services provided to members of the public. Advice services, such as Law Centres and Citizens Advice Bureau, no longer have the funding to provide free legal services on issues of housing and employment, meaning individuals seeking help and support will either have to pay for advice or do the work themselves without any specialist help.
Meanwhile, the economic downturn has meant thousands more individuals and families are now unable to afford advice and are turning to free legal advice agencies for help.
The additional cuts to local government funding mean that advice services are fighting to survive. Some organisations have merged, meaning already tight resources are being stretched over greater distances, but more frequently, others have ceased to provide services altogether. Since the cuts have come into force the number of Law Centres has decreased by 20%, meaning there are currently only 43 Law Centres covering the country.
On 29 September lawyers from across the area will be walking to show their support for the advice sector. Despite the cuts to legal aid forcing the closure of many law firms the legal profession has always championed access to justice for all. The Manchester legal walk is an enjoyable event which celebrates the continued work of the legal profession and advice sector in protecting people’s rights and prompting equal access to justice for all.
You can follow the Trust on Facebook (http://tinyurl.com/jnvn6kp) or follow the walk on Twitter @nwlst or by using the hashtag #legalwalk.
For more information or to register your team please visit the NWLST website at http://www.nwlst.org.uk/.
Any further questions, please email [email protected]
