Reading: Lawyers and judges walk for free legal advice centres

Lawyers from Reading along with colleagues and friends will be walking the annual legal walk on September 16 to support local free legal advice centres.

This 10km sponsored walk is organised by the London Legal Support Trust (LLST) and all funds raised support local free legal advice agencies such as Age UK Reading, Citizens Advice Reading, Flag DV, and Reading Refugee Support Group. The walk is expected to raise over £8,000 to promote access to justice for the most vulnerable.

The annual walk is led by local judges including district judge Catherine Comiskey, and district judge Sophie Harrison. They will be joined by lawyers and colleagues from local law firms including Barrett & Co Solicitors, Blandy & Blandy LLP, Clifton Ingram LLP, Field Seymour Parkes LLP and Parfitt Cresswell, who have already signed up along with barristers, support staff, law students and staff.

The walk is sponsored by Beaufort Financial, with all walkers receiving a drink at the end thanks to Irwin Mitchell.

Bob Nightingale MBE, founder of LLST, commended the lawyers for supporting local advice agencies saying:

“In recent years life has become even harder for the most disadvantaged people. Austerity has caused hardship among the poorest people and created problems such as debt and homelessness. Often the advice agencies are the only place where those people can get help.

“2013 cuts to legal aid for many areas of welfare law mean that people who can’t afford to pay a solicitor can no longer turn to high street solicitors for help with matters such as benefits, employment or disrepair. Now changes to the benefits rules for people with disabilities is creating even more pressure on the advice agencies.

“It’s fantastic that local lawyers will turn out year after year to raise funds to help to ease that problem.”

For more information or to register a team go to tinyurl.com/ReadingLW19