London Legal Walk aims to get 10,000 walkers to raise funds for legal charities

Organisers of the 10km London Legal Walk on 19 May 2014 are calling for more participants to sign up and raise money for charities providing free legal advice in London. This year’s event is the 10th anniversary of the walk and the organiser, the London Legal Support Trust (LLST), aims to enlist at least 10,000 walkers in its cause.

In 2013 around £530,000 was raised by 7,500 walkers. This year, with legal aid cuts biting hard and many free legal advice centres closing down or having to reduce their services, the fundraising efforts of the walk are needed more than ever. The walk is supported by many in the profession, including the Law Society and many senior judges, lawyer and politicians. In previous years, the lord chief justice, president of the Supreme Court and master of the rolls have all taken part.

Bob Nightingale, chief executive of the LLST, said: "Free legal advice underpins the right to access to justice and this walk is one way lawyers of all types can help ensure London's most vulnerable people are awarded that right. Obviously we can't completely fill the funding void advice centres have suffered in recent years, but the funds raised through the London Legal Walk can go some way to ensure thousands of the most vulnerable people in and around London will get the vital legal help that they would otherwise have been unable to afford."

Teams can sign up to take part until Friday 16 May. Participants will start their walk between 5:00pm and 6:30pm. There will be a street party to welcome teams back at the finish line. Full details will be provided on registration.