On Sunday 19th February 2012 a team of eager Solicitors and Trainee Solicitors from Hanne & Co took up the challenge to walk 20 miles from Putney to Hampton Court, to raise funds for the London Legal Support Trust. Sunday brought with it perfect weather for walking; glorious sunshine with a nice cold crisp to the air. There were teams from various law firms all over London and Greater London taking part.
The Trust helps fund legal advice agencies in and around London. These agencies include Law Centres and specialist legal advice centres, which provide their services through a mixture of legal aid funding, local authority funding and charitable donations. These agencies make a huge difference to people’s lives, reducing debt, poverty and homelessness, and combating discrimination and injustice. Hanne & Co are strong supporters of such work and specifically chose to share the money raised from the sponsored walk, between Lambeth Law Centre and Battersea Law Centre given their proximity to the firm and the close community they support.
Legal Aid cuts have been a hotly debated recently with proposals being discussed in Parliament at the end of last year. The Government has already reduced the amount paid for legal aid by 10% this month. Local Authorities are also reducing funding as part of their cost cutting. In the second half of 2011 legal advice agencies in London have been closing at the rate of one a month. Had it not been for the funds raised by the walks and provided by law firms that closure rate could easily have doubled.
After a great deal of walking, followed by more walking the team reached Hampton Court Palace in a respectable time of just over 6 and a half hours. The money raised by the team and the benefit to our local law centres was well worth the blisters and aching legs suffered by all over the following days.
We would like to take this opportunity to say a massive thanks to everyone who helped us raise money. See you on the walk again next year – maybe next year we’ll complete the 40 miles challenge!
 | Hanne & Co Legal Walk Team 2012: Amy Walker (Employment Solicitor) Mark Cardew (Criminal Solicitor) Alice Mathams (Family Law Paralegal) Harry Dronfield (Employment Solicitor) Jenny Ricketts (Family Trainee) Lorna West (Criminal Solicitor) Mike Herford (Criminal Trainee) |
Contact Hanne & Co or call 020 7228 0017 for further information on our legal services. You can also read more about our charitable involvement here.
