The Oxford Legal Walk Returns for 2022!

Lawyers and their colleagues from across Oxford are getting together to raise money for free specialist legal advice agencies in Oxford. This year, the Oxford Legal Walk, takes place on Monday 16^th May, led by Judge Joanna Vincent, and the High Sheriff of Oxfordshire, Mark Beard. The 10K walk will welcome fundraisers from all across the legal profession and anyone else who supports giving access to justice for all, hoping to beat last year's total of £15,000.

What does the walk include?

Walkers will be welcomed at Oxford Combined Court from 5.00pm with walkers heading off at 5.30pm. From there, fundraisers will take part in the 10k walk, which takes in lots of Oxford’s most iconic landmarks finishing with a reception at the end of the walk.

Last year, the walk welcomed over 200 people from law firms, barristers’ chambers, legal advice agencies, courts, law schools and those associated with the law industry walking in teams or on their own but it's also open to anyone who wants to support free legal advice in Oxford.

Why we walk:

Judge Joanna Vincent, from Oxford Combined Court, says “Last year the Oxford Legal Walk supported many Oxford advice agencies, including Agnes Smith Advice Centre, Oxfordshire Welfare Rights and Citizens Advice Oxford. This support is vital at a time when many of our services are still under pressure due to Covid-19.”

“The Oxford Legal Walk changes real lives by allowing advice centres to support people facing homelessness, discrimination, wrongly denied benefit claims and asylum issues and who can’t afford to pay for a lawyer”.

Ruby’s Story

Ruby has a long-term physical health condition, which causes her severe chronic pain. This escalated to the point where Ruby could not work, and the Department for Work refused to pay her sickness benefit, claiming she was fit to work. Ruby came to a local free legal advice agency who helped her to appeal the decision, which was successful. This agency also helped her successfully claim for a disability benefit, to dramatically improve her quality of life. This was all possible because of the help and goodwill of the Oxford advice agency.

To sign up for the Oxford legal walk please follow this link, or email signups@llst.org.uk

**ENDS**

Notes

LLST was founded in 2003 and is an independent funder striving to increase access to justice through free legal advice.

We help to support over 100 frontline free legal advice charities in London and the south-east through:

• provision of grant funding
• supporting infrastructure of the sector, and
• helping agencies reduce costs and save money via pro bono or discounted schemes as part of our grants plus commitment

in 2020, LLST provided over £800,000 worth of grants and support to legal advice agencies in London and the South East.

History of the walk

The Oxford Legal walk is now in its 5th year. It is organised in collaboration between Oxford Advice Agencies and London Legal Support Trust (LLST). LLST promotes fair access to justice, which means people should all be able to access legal advice equally, irrespective of their financial or social position. This is more important than ever due to national legal aid cuts and court closures and is critical to the local community.

For more information, visit https://rebrand.ly/OxfordLegalWalk22

Contact: Curtis Howett curtis@llst.org.uk – signups@llst.org.uk