Leeds' judges and solicitors take to the streets to raise cash for legal charities

More than 500 people from senior judges to solicitors staged a walk through Leeds city centre which is expected to raise up to £20,000 for local legal charities.
Dogs could come too as the walk covered six miles of the city centre.Dogs could come too as the walk covered six miles of the city centre.
Dogs could come too as the walk covered six miles of the city centre.

It is the fifth year that the Leeds Legal Walk has taken place, following cuts and changes to legal aid, and raises funds to support the charities that provide free legal advice to the most vulnerable members of the community who might be struggling with housing, benefits, employment and immigration issues.

The six mile walk through the city centre set off from The Courthouse on Oxford Row on Monday night and finished at The Rose Bowl where there were refreshments and music thanks to His Honour Judge Mark Gosnell who agreed that his band, Scott and the Antarctics, would play.

The Leeds Legal Walk gets underway on Monday night.The Leeds Legal Walk gets underway on Monday night.
The Leeds Legal Walk gets underway on Monday night.
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Leeds Legal Walk is organised by the Yorkshire Legal Support Trust, the local arm of the Access to Justice Foundation and 65 teams, consisting of more than 500 people took part. It was started by the Vice Chancellor of the County Palatine of Lancaster, Mr Justice Barling and lead walkers included the High Sheriff of West Yorkshire, Mr Paul Lawrence.

Last year the event raised more than £12,000 and with this year's event being even bigger, the Leeds walk was the largest regional one outside of London, it is hoped that the final total will be between £15,000 and £20,000.

David Barraclough, chairman of the Yorkshire Legal Support Trust, said: "We were very apprehensive at lunchtime having seen the weather forecast but it turned out to be a warm, dry evening. It was brilliant.

"It was lovely to chat to people, as we are all very busy with our legal work, and to be able to put something back into the legal sector. All the money raised in Yorkshire as there are walks in Leeds, York and Sheffield, will be spent in Yorkshire."

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