The annual Brighton Legal Walk takes place today 21 September, aiming to raise much needed funds for local advice services in Brighton. These include Citizen’s Advice, Money Advice Plus, Possability People and BHT’s Brighton Advice Centre. The walk will look a little different this year, as due to social distancing measures participants will take part at different times along different routes, but the aim is the same; to raise as much as possible for these important services. If you would like to sponsor our team click here.
The Brighton Legal Walk is organised by London Legal Support Trust which supports law centres and legal advice agencies in London and the South East. BHT’s Brighton Advice Centre staff will walk their 10km in solidarity with other local lawyers and advisers to raise funds as well as awareness at a time when their services are needed more than ever.
The number of people seeking help with debt, benefits and employment has increased dramatically since the start of the pandemic. There are also concerns that many could be left more vulnerable to homelessness when a temporary government ban on evictions comes to an end later this month. The best way people can protect their homes if they are worried is by getting professional advice as soon as they can.
BHT’s Brighton Advice Centre provides specialist housing and money management advice, an immigration legal service, and a Court Duty Scheme which provides last-minute emergency advice for people facing eviction, and which will resume when the Courts reopen. Last year alone the Centre prevented 335 households from becoming homeless. Their Immigration Legal Service is the only legal aid representation and advice provider in Sussex for refugees and asylum seekers, and last year achieved positive outcomes for 80% of the clients whose cases they took on.
Louise Crouch, a Trainee Solicitor with BHT who is taking part in the Legal Walk said:
We are so grateful to everyone who supports these walks every year, as they raise much needed funds for BHT’s Brighton Advice Centre and others providing essential legal advice to vulnerable local people.
In these challenging times services like ours are in demand and under pressure, and fundraising events like this are really important in helping us to continue our work to ensure that people can stay in their homes, be supported and have access to justice regardless of their circumstances.
