Hospice’s Legacy Awareness Month Returns for 2021

This October, for the third consecutive year, St Elizabeth Hospice is hosting its Legacy Awareness Month to encourage more to people consider the distribution of their estate after their death.

In previous years the annual awareness month has proved successful in encouraging the community to consider making a Will to ensure their wishes are met after their death, while also serving to increase awareness of the hospice’s services and encouraging supporters to consider leaving a gift donation in their Will to the hospice.

Every year the hospice delivers free care to more than 3,000 patients and their families, throughout East Suffolk, Great Yarmouth and Waveney.

These services are provided at a cost of £12.9m, of which 70% is raised by the community through St Elizabeth Hospice’s retail shops, local fundraising activities as well as legacy donations. While annually, 400 families are directly helped by the hospice from the generous gifts left in Wills to St Elizabeth Hospice from members of the local community.

Lynn Maskell, St Elizabeth Hospice Legacy Officer, said: “Taking the time to consider how your estate will be distributed after your death, in the form of a Will, can bring peace of mind to your family and also ensure your wishes are met.

“Regardless of the size of your estate, having a Will can make life easier for those left behind. Each year the hospice is extremely grateful for the continued community support we receive, which allows us to develop and evolve our services to support more patients and their families during difficult times in their lives.

“By including a gift to St Elizabeth Hospice in your Will, no matter how big or small, you will be making a big difference to people in your community when it matters most.”

St Elizabeth Hospice is an independent Suffolk charity providing free services to improve life for people living with a progressive or life-limiting illness. Centered on an individual’s needs, the hospice provides specialist support, whenever and wherever it is needed, whether at home, in the community or at the hospice.

Support is provided to patients, aged 14 years and upwards, and their families via the Inpatient Unit, day services including outpatient’s clinics, home visits from the community nursing, medical or therapy team, the OneCall 24/7 telephone helpline and bereavement support.

One hospice supporter, who has left a gift donation in their Will to the hospice, said: “Towards the end of my husband’s life he had the hospice community nursing team visiting him at home. We were extremely grateful for the care he received, the nurses all treated my husband so kindly and lovingly as if he was their own Dad or Grandad.

“My husband really wanted to die in his own home and because of the hospice care team he was able to achieve his final wish. Because of all the wonderful care and support both my husband and I received and because we know the hospice supports so many families I decided I would leave the hospice a gift in my Will.”

To find out further please call 01473 723600 or email giftinwills@stelizabethhospice.org.uk.