Join your colleagues to support access to justice in Surrey

Join your colleagues to support access to justice in Surrey

Many of us have found it hard in recent times to stay connected to our colleagues and keep that team spirit and camaraderie alive. Working from home means missing valuable face time with your colleagues, and there is only so much one can do over video call! One way to bring your team together is to get them involved in events where all can participate towards supporting a worthwhile cause. So why not get a team together to walk in the Guildford Legal Walk?

On Monday, September 28th, members of the legal community in Surrey will be taking part in the (socially distant) Guildford Legal Walk. London Legal Support Trust hosts this 10K sponsored walk that sees lawyers, judges, advice agencies, and more raise funds to support desperately needed free legal advice services.

The Law Society has named Surrey as one of the nation’s legal aid ‘deserts’ for all areas of social welfare law with a drastic shortage of legal aid for housing, community care, or any other social welfare areas of law. This means that the work that frontline free legal advice agencies do in Surrey is absolutely essential to people in need. High quality legal advice at the right time can turn lives around.

The COVID-19 pandemic and its effects have exacerbated these issues: the number of people seeking help with debt, benefits, employment, and domestic violence has increased dramatically since the start of the pandemic; and when the stay on evictions is lifted there will be a huge number of people facing homelessness.

The 2020 Guildford Legal Walk is designed to comply with all government regulations around social distancing. Teams will walk in groups of 6 or fewer walkers. There will be no set start or end venue. Teams can join the route wherever and whenever is convenient for them. In addition to walkers walking the route, those who can't physically attend the walk are invited to join their team virtually and walk their 10k wherever they are. ■

To join the walk, visit: www.londonlegalsupporttrust.org.uk/our-events/walksin-the-south-east-2020/guildford-legal-walk-2020/