Bill Carruthers spent most of his life in Peterborough and was a well-known lawyer from the 1960s, up until his passing in 2006, two and a half weeks after the death of his wife, Jean. Well respected as a person and as a lawyer among other members of the bar, Bill is remembered for his puckish sense of humour, unwavering kindness, and commitment to social justice.

Each year as Christmas approached, Bill visited the various law offices in the City of Peterborough to solicit funds, which would be donated to a different charity each year. Now the Peterborough Law Association Bill Carruthers Fund continues the tradition of giving by the legal community in support of community needs.

The PLA Bill Carruthers Fund is a positive expression of the Association’s concern for community wellbeing. Grants made by the fund address community needs, including poverty, homelessness, mental health, and hunger, needs which Bill Carruthers, for so many years, identified and supported.