The Legal Walk season is just getting started here at the NWLST. Our first Legal Walk event of 2017 was held in Preston on the 24th April where over 68 people came out in force walk 10k for charity. We want to say a huge thank you to all of you who got involved and raised money to support free legal advice in your local area! And not forgetting our brilliant sponsors and lead walkers all of whom have been incredible in helping make the event a success!

The next location for the NWLST Legal Walks will be Carlisle on the 19th of June. We are thrilled to be visiting Carlisle and look forward to meeting more walkers and raising funds which will be used to help individuals who would otherwise be unable to access vital legal advice. Furthermore, watch this space for more information on walks taking place later in the year. The NWLST will be visiting Manchester on the 28th September and Liverpool on the 3rd October – You can find out more information at www.nwlst.org.uk/our-events

Exciting news here at the North West Legal Support Trust! We are holding our next Legal Walk in Preston on the 24th April @ 5.30pm, and with just over 5 weeks to go before the big day (or evening, I should say) there is still plenty of time to come together with your colleagues or friends and get involved for a great cause.

Registration starts from 5pm at the Preston Combined Court. The event will conclude at University of Central Lancaster where, upon finishing the route there will be the opportunity to have some well-deserved refreshments. A special thanks to the University who has kindly allowed us to host our post-walk reception in their facilities. Don’t forget to enter our photography challenge with your photos from the event. Tweet us @nwlst using the hashtag #legalwalk we look forward to seeing your submissions after the event.

Reduction in Government and Local Authority spending has impacted the most vulnerable people in our communities, preventing access to legal advice for those who need it most.  Our fundraising events such as the Preston Legal Walk and the recent Great Legal Bake, are of vital importance to support continued provision of services and overcome the damaging impacts of funding cuts. Help us help those who need legal advice, walk with us in Preston on 24th April!

Talking of baking, our recent Legal Bake fundraiser held during February was a great success! Raising an incredible £30,000 across all Support Trusts in the UK. The money raised in each area will be used to keep legal advice free and available to all. To find out more about is currently happening, be sure to tune into BBC Radio Lancashire next Wednesday @ 9.50am. Rachel Stevens, Trustee for the North West Legal Support Trust, will be on talking about recent developments in ensuring access to justice for all.

We are always looking for more teams to get involved. If you haven’t signed up to the Preston Legal walk yet, not to worry, follow the link below and sign up your team today and help support your local legal advice agencies --> http://www.nwlst.org.uk/our-events

The Great Legal Bake is on its way!

The Great Legal Bake cannot come fast enough and as the days speed by the numbers of bakers continues to grow! We now have 75 bakers committed to getting their scales out to support local advice agencies in their mission to ensure access to justice for all.

Last year we had 77 bakers get involved, and we’re already hoping to beat that number this year. After raising over £20,000 last year let’s all get our whisks at the ready to raise even more in 2017!

The North West Legal Support Trust is doing great so far with Douglas Scott Legal Recruitment and Fylde Law​ just signing up to join many others to make this Great Legal Bake the best one so far. You can see who’s already signed up here.

We’re very excited to start baking and hope you will all join us! 

​Not long now - we're excited for the North West Support Trust Great Legal Bake!
 
​We are really excited about the Great Legal Bake coming up in just over one month from February 20th-24th. We already have 50 teams organised so far, all ready to bake and raise funds to support access to advice for all. Last year, we raised over £20,000 in baking efforts, and are looking forward to surpass that amount in baking extravaganzas this year. 
 
The North West Legal Support Trust was established to support the provision of free legal advice in Manchester and the North West and the Great Legal Bake is an important part of our fundraising activities. The organisations we support make a huge difference in the lives of many people. The recent cuts to legal aid and reduced household income for many working families has increased demand for free access to specialist legal advice and it is more important than ever that the poorest and most vulnerable people in our community have access to such support. For example, the trust has supported projects such as the Public Law Project which included gaining "exceptional funding" necessary to prevent breaches of fundamental rights.  
 
During the week, there will be bakes across the country at various firms and organisations. This is an opportunity for lawyers to showcase their inner Mary Berry’s and show off their baking talents in support for a great legal cause. Cupcakes, cookies and cakes at work (savoury and sweet) - what’s not to love!
 
We would like to get as many people involved as possible, so gather your co-workers, friends and family to get involved in the baking to raise vital funds for legal advice agencies!
​

As part of National Pro Bono Week, over 70 organisations signed themselves up for the biggest quiz of the year. North West Legal Support Trust teams tested their knowledge of everything from films to the Olympics to raise funds in support of access to justice in the North West of England.
 
A big thanks to teams from UCLAN & Preston Incorporated Law Society and Liverpool Community Advice.


Topping the fundraising leader board in the North West so far are the fabulous Liverpool Community Advice who raised an amazing £105.00! However, funds are still coming in and we’re confident that this will be the most successful Great Legal Quiz yet!
 
All teams did a great job in raising money, and we are very grateful to everyone for pulling out all the stops to raise as much money as possible to support access to justice in the North West of England.
 
The charities supported by The Great Legal Quiz help thousands of people every year gain access to justice. These charities are often the last resort for people facing difficult and distressing legal circumstances but without the resources to pay for private legal advice. Without this charitable work many vulnerable people would be left alone to navigate the court and justice system without any advice or support.
 
The national winners will be announced very shortly – watch this space!

​It is time to warm up those brains as the Great Legal Quiz is fast approaching. If you would like to take part, there is still time for you to join us by registering here.

We currently have 2 teams signed up in the North West, both raising vital funds to support access to advice for all. 
 
The Quiz is completely self-run: we supply the questions and advertisement posters. Advice organisations can use the Great Legal Quiz to fundraise completely for their own organisation or if you are not an advice organisation then you can split the funds 50/50 between the NWLST and a charity of your choice. All you need to do is sign up and prepare to get quizzed!

The charities supported by the Great Legal Quiz help thousands of people every year gain proper access to justice. These charities are often the last resort for people facing difficult and distressing legal circumstances but without resources to pay for private legal advice. Without this charitable work, many vulnerable people would be left alone to navigate the court and justice system without any advice or support. 

We are very excited for Wednesday and we hope that you all are too! But please keep spreading the word and get as many people involved as possible, the questions will not be law-focused so anyone with any general knowledge is invited to participate.
We are so grateful to everyone taking part, the event would not be possible without your contribution.

It was the perfect autumn evening on Tuesday 4 October, when over 90 members of the legal profession embarked on a leisurely 5km wonder to raise funds in support of access to justice in the North West. Walkers followed the route which meandered through St. John’s Gardens and through the town’s other sights, giving them the perfect opportunity to enjoy a lovely evening whilst showing their support for local legal advice services.
 
We had a grand total of 33 teams sign up with the biggest team coming from Liverpool University Legal Society.
 
A big congratulations also goes out to Carpenters, who are topping the fundraising table at the moment, raising over £600. This is a huge achievement and we are very grateful to them for pulling out all the stops to raise as much money as possible to support access to justice.
 
We had several charities who joined the walk in order to fundraise for their organisation, including the Bar Pro Bono Unit and the Personal Support Unit. Free legal advice services are often the last resort for local people facing difficult and distressing legal circumstances without the means to pay for private legal advice. The funds raised by the Liverpool Legal Walk, and the NWLST as a whole, will go to support these charities in the incredible services which they provide, as well as other organisations that work throughout the region, helping thousands of people every year navigate the complicated legal system.
 
The walk has broken all previous records, raising £3,712 so far. Without your contribution the Liverpool Legal Walk, the work of the NWLST would not be possible.
 
Please continue to fundraise and ensure that we can help more vital services than ever before.

The Great Legal Quiz cannot come fast enough and as the days speed by, the number of quizzers continues to grow! We now have 2 teams in the North West of England committed to quizzing to support local advice agencies in their mission to ensure access to justice for all.
 
The Quiz is completely self-run: we supply the questions and advertisement posters, all you need to do Is sign up and prepare to get quizzing!
                                                                                                                    
Are you an advice organisation and not too sure about signing up? As an advice organisation, you are able to use the Great Legal Quiz to fundraise 100% for your own organisation. Alternatively, if you are not an advice organisation, you can choose to split the funds, 50% for the NWLST and 50% to the charity of your choice!
 
Please do spread the word and get as many people involved as possible! The questions will not be law-focused so anyone with any general knowledge is invited to participate!

It was a lovely autumn evening on Thursday 29 September for 321 members of the legal profession who embarked on an 10km challenge and raised funds to support access to justice in Manchester and the North West. The route took in the lovely sights the town has to offer and the weather was light and breezy, a perfect day to walk and raise money for a vital cause.
 
We had a grand total of 39 teams signed up with the biggest team on the day coming from University of Manchester School of Law!
 
A big congratulations goes out to Olliers Solicitors, who topped the fundraising table having raised £906! This is a huge achievement and we are very grateful to their team who pulled out all the stops to raise as much money as possible to support access to justice.
 
We were joined by CILEx Greater Manchester Branch, GMIAU and the Rochdale Law Centre. These charities are often the last resort for people facing difficult and distressing legal circumstances and find themselves unable to pay for private legal advice. The funds raised by the Manchester Legal Walk, and the NWLST as a whole, will go to support these charities and more, throughout the region helping thousands of people every year navigate the complicated legal system.
 
This event was kindly supported by the Manchester Law Society, without whom this would not be possible. 
 
The walk has broken all previous records, raising over £5,867 so far. Without your contribution the Manchester Legal Walk and the work of the NWLST would not be possible.
 
Please continue to fundraise and ensure that we can help more vital services than ever.