Independent Suffolk charity St Elizabeth Hospice has announced the return of its annual Wills Month, an initiative which encourages people to consider the distribution of their estate after their death.
Research shows 54% of people of UK adults are currently without a Will and this annual initiative by St Elizabeth Hospice is calling on people to write or update their Will this May.
One person who was motivated to create her Will, by a previous St Elizabeth Hospice Wills Month, is Jessica Prosser, Trusts Manager at St Elizabeth Hospice.
“My husband and I have been married for over ten years. We own a house, we have three children and we began thinking about the children’s future and the importance of having a plan and guardians in place to support them, in the eventuality something happened to us,” she explained.
“Sometimes life moves on and you have plans, like Wills, which you think ‘I must address’ but never get round to. Speaking with friends, they too were in similar positions, but agreed it was something we should all consider, for peace of mind.
“Being a part of the hospice I was aware of Wills Month and it presented the perfect opportunity for my husband and I to begin the process of writing our Wills.”
St Elizabeth Hospice’s Wills month has been held annually since 2016, raising more than £81,200 for the hospice during this time. This year a number of local solicitors will once again be supporting Wills Month, with further details available on St Elizabeth Hospice’s website.
Jess added: “It was a simple process, with our solicitor talking us through what would happen and what we needed to do, explaining everything very clearly.
“It encapsulated every element of end-of-life and our wishes, but after it was complete, I felt we had peace of mind.
“We also took the decision to support the hospice through leaving a donation in our Will, as recognition for the brilliant free care they give to so many families in the local community. Having worked for the hospice for a number of years, I regularly see the value of their compassionate service and to be able to give back to the charity through writing my Will, was very special to me.
“I hope my donation helps contribute to the hospice’s ambition to continue developing its care to support even more families, during difficult times in their lives, throughout Suffolk for many years to come.
“I would encourage anyone thinking of drafting their Will to do so. It’s a simple process, where you are guided by a professional, and once your Will is written, you have such peace of mind and you can also support a fantastic local good cause at the same time.”
As part of Wills Month, the charity has partnered with eleven solicitors and will writers to offer a Will writing service, with the registration window for booking appointments opening on 1st April.
Each organisation has dedicated a number of appointments throughout May and will be providing their services free of charge, but clients are encouraged to make a donation to St Elizabeth Hospice which provides free services to improve life for people living with a progressive or life-limiting illness throughout East Suffolk, Great Yarmouth and Waveney.
Every year the hospice cares for more than 3,000 Suffolk patients and their families at a cost of £12.9m, of which 70% is raised by the community through gift donations in wills, St Elizabeth Hospice’s retail shops and local fundraising activities; with one in five patients cared for by funds donated by gifts in wills.
To find out more about St Elizabeth Hospice’s Wills Month call 01473 723600 or visit www.stelizabethhospice.org.uk/support-us/make-a-donation/make-a-gift-in-your-will/wills-months.