We arrived in Carey Street in London on a mild October afternoon. The street was packed with walkers, volunteers, fundraisers & entertainers. The atmosphere filled with excited chatter & cheers from walkers who had already completed their walk.
We signed ourselves up and grabbed our maps ready for the long walk. We took the South River Route, taking us around the landmarks around the River Thames and back to where we began. It was an incredible experience walking around London and taking time to appreciate the beautiful historic architecture. At around 5k into our walk, it began to rain…a lot! Still, the weather failed to dampen our spirits as we proceeded on. We continued to walk the river route until we arrived back at Carey Street. In a little over 2 hours, the AK Team had managed to complete their 10K.
Our feet were aching, our bodies were tired and our clothes were soaked. None of this could take away our smiles. It was a brilliant day and with thanks to everyone who donated, we managed to raise £536.81 for the London Legal Support Trust.
Why We Walked
Everyone should have access to justice. In reality, not everyone does. Two-thirds of the UK population don’t know how to get legal advice and 15 million people who live in poverty can’t afford to pay for it. The COVID-19 pandemic has widened the justice gap further.
Legal advice charities have worked tirelessly on the frontline to support individuals and families throughout the pandemic. During the first lockdown, advice agencies reported a six-fold increase in requests for help. Sadly, this help is still urgently needed as people continue to face life-changing issues around housing, employment, Universal Credit, debt, domestic violence, and more.
People need support to be able to access the justice they are entitled to, including challenging unlawful evictions, securing the care provision they are entitled to, and combatting discrimination at work.
Many advice agencies face closure due to the pandemic and resulting loss of funding. A decade of funding cuts, particularly to legal aid, has already forced many centres to close. The surviving advice charities need our support to continue to be a lifeline for their communities.
Every year, the London Legal Walk supports over 100 legal advice services in London and the South East. Please help to give everyone access to justice. Please keep supporting the LLST by signing up to make a regular donation: https://londonlegalsupporttrust.org.uk/donate-today/
