Royalty backs LSC project

Community access: Princess Royal unveils 500,000 funding for CLSP scheme in Yorkshire

The Princess Royal last week launched one of the largest projects funded by Legal Services Commission (LSC) public innovation money so far, aimed at providing legal advice for vulnerable groups in south Yorkshire.

The 500,000 Rotherham Outreach and Representation (ROAR) scheme, unveiled at Rotherham Citizens Advice Bureau, was set up to target groups that include the elderly, the sick and disabled and people on low incomes.

The financial award came out of the 15 million partnership innovation budget, which was created in May 2001 to provide three years of funding for 75 Community Legal Service Partnership (CLSP) initiatives around the country.

Rotherham qualified as it has had a CLSP since 2000.

The ROAR money will go towards increasing community access points and home visits by legal advice providers including solicitors, and will focus particularly on areas in the borough where there is little or no legal advice or representation.

Andrew Walker, partner at Rotherham-based law firm Walker Cooke and member of the Rotherham CLSP, said the successful launch of the scheme was the result of efforts by everyone involved in the partnership.

'The Rotherham CLSP provides an excellent opportunity for the profession to work much closer with colleagues in the voluntary and statutory sectors,' he said.

'I would hope that in the future, Rotherham would receive other additional resources as a result of this collaboration.'

LSC regional director Peter Nelson said: 'This shows that successful partnership working can lead to advice services reaching out into the community where it can make a real difference to the lives of vulnerable people.'

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Paula Rohan