Embrace Make a Will Week and look after your loved ones.
Many of us put off making a will. Even though we want to protect our family and friends after we die and know that our property and possessions will be dealt with in the way we choose, it’s a task that’s often avoided or neglected.
But recording your wishes is actually a very straightforward process, as well as an act of kindness for those you leave behind. With that in mind, St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth is inviting people to take advantage of their Make a Will Week, which runs from 7 – 13 November 2022.
Community-spirited local solicitors are giving their time free of charge to create wills during that week, in return for a donation to the much-loved charity, with an option to also leave a legacy for St Luke’s. The funds this raises will help the hospice continue its valuable end of life care and support services for families in Plymouth and surrounding areas for years to come.
Having a will in place can bring you peace of mind, safe in the knowledge that your wishes will be followed through after your death. For your loved ones, having an official record of what you want to happen will make an already distressing time a little bit easier for them. A will spells out exactly how you want your estate to be distributed, rather than everything you own being shared in the standard way specified by law, which might not match up with what you would prefer.
It’s especially important to make a will if you have children or other family members who depend on you financially, or if you want to leave a gift to people or organisations you care about. It’s also crucial to update your will when personal circumstances change, for example, if you get married or divorced, purchase a property, have children or grandchildren, or if a partner or other family member dies.
The generous companies taking part in St Luke’s Make a Will Week include Roper James Solicitors, SWLaw and Woollcombe Yonge Solicitors and they are available for face-to-face pre-booked appointments during the week of 7 – 13 November 2022. The charity has also teamed up with the online will writing service Farewill, which will suit anyone who would prefer to use a web-based option during the same period.
St Luke’s Head of Fundraising Penny Hannah said:“People often forget that it is not always about sorting out the financial aspects. A will ensures your final wishes are clear. Your possessions and property are going to the right place, and the family and children you leave behind will be looked after.
“Our Make a Will Week is an ideal opportunity to make or update your will, especially if your marital status has changed, you have bought a house or recently added to your family.”
Creating or updating your will is also a time when you can choose to leave a legacy to a cause close to your heart. For St Luke’s, it is the funds the charity receives through legacies that help the hospice make plans for its future so that no-one in the local area who has a terminal illness will have to miss out on high-quality care at the end of their lives.
Penny Hannah said: “Leaving a legacy to St Luke’s is a compassionate gesture that helps future generations and makes more of a difference to our patients and their families than you will ever know.”
To create or update your will, simply contact one of the solicitors taking part to make an appointment between 7 and 13 November, quoting ‘St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth Make a Will Week’.
