Hastings lawyers step out to promote access to justice

On Monday 9 September lawyers from Hastings along with colleagues and friends will be taking part in the annual Hastings legal walk to support local free legal advice centres. Nick Terdre reports.

The 10km sponsored walk is organised by the London Legal Support Trust (LLST)  to promote access to justice for the most vulnerable. All funds raised support free legal advice in the local area from Citizens Advice 1066, Hastings Advice and Representation Centre and the Hastings branch of Brighton Housing Trust.

The annual walk is led by local judges. Lawyers and colleagues from local law firms including Elaine Parkes Solicitors and Heringtons Solicitors have already signed up along with barristers, law students and support staff.

In 2018 over £3,500 was raised, but this year the aim is to reach £5,000.

Ten teams comprising 78 walkers are registered to take part, though anyone can turn up and join in. Walkers will convene at the First In Last Out pub in the Old Town at 4.30pm for a 5pm start. On return to the pub everyone gets a drink token as thanks for their participation.

A word from the founder

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.”

Impressive results

The advice agencies work together in the Hastings Advice Hub to help thousands of people every year, notching up some impressive results:

• In 2017 BHT prevented 302 people and families from becoming homeless and secured a total of £2m in benefits for those affected by cancer;
• HARC secured a total of £4.9m in previously unclaimed benefits, of which £2.2m was disability benefits.
• In 2017 MoneyAdvice (Citizens Advice 1066) helped over 16,500 people, dealing with over £5.6m of debt.

The flagship legal walk is in London, which when held in June this year attracted 886 teams and some 15,000 participants. Elsewhere LLST organised a walk in Tunbridge Wells last Wednesday, and has upcoming events in Brighton on Tuesday 10th and Chichester on Wednesday 11th. Walks have also been arranged this year in Eastbourne, Southampton, Epsom, Guilford, Reading, Oxford and Hackney.

LLST takes care of all the administration and costs associated with the fund-raising, including securing Gift Aid contributions, and delivers the entirety of the monies raised to the advice centres.

 

For more information or to donate visit the LLST website.

 

 

 

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