Over £2,500 raised by Tozers LLP for Rowcroft Hospice

Wednesday, 13 October 2010 00:00

Despite the recession, local solicitors, Tozers LLP, have raised £2,590 for Rowcroft Hospice in 2010. During Make a Will week which ran from 24th – 28th May, lawyers at Tozers in Teignmouth, Newton Abbot and Exeter gave their time free of charge to update or write Wills, in return for a donation to the hospice. Suggested minimum donations were £100 for a single Will and £150 for a pair of mirror Wills. For more complicated Wills or those that require specialist advice a fee was agreed

in advance.

In total, 27 offices of solicitors took part, enabling 154 Wills to be written and £20,859 was raised. Tozers' lawyers wrote 22 wills to raise £2,590 for Rowcroft Hospice. The £20,859 will help Rowcroft Hospice care for one patient for 46 days and nights in the in-patient unit.

In Britain today, approximately one in three individuals die intestate (without making a Will), and the Crown swallows £25million every year in unclaimed estates. After major life changes such as getting married, moving house, having a baby or getting divorced, it is important to ensure you have an up-to-date Will.

Rachael Bryett, Make a Will Week organiser said: 'None of us want to think about it but making a Will is the only way to ensure that your wishes are carried out when you are no longer here. Making a will ensures that your family and friends are looked after. There is no obligation to include Rowcroft in your Will, but if you chose to do so, we would be very grateful. Including a gift to Rowcroft Hospice will ensure that local people with life-threatening conditions are looked after in years to come.'

The hospice needs to raise over £10,000 each day and two thirds of the hospice's funding comes from donations. Every donation received as part of Make a Will week helps to fund the hospice's specialist care to local people living with life-threatening illnesses.

Ted Foulkes of Tozers said: 'Most people are aware that they should make a Will but it's one of those things we all put off. Here was an opportunity to get it done and help one of our most deserving local charities at the same time.'

During November 2010, Tozers is taking part in Will Aid.  Will Aid is the UK's top charity will-writing scheme. It offers everyone the opportunity to make or update their Will in return for a donation to help people in need all over the world.

We are offering to draw up basic Wills without charging our usual fee. In return for this service, we hope clients will donate the fee we would normally charge to the Will Aid charities. This is the opportunity to give to charity, rather than paying a solicitor!

This money will be divided between nine well-known UK charities: ActionAid, British Red Cross, Christian Aid, Age UK, NSPCC, Save the Children UK, Sightsavers, SCIAF (Scotland) and Trocaire (Northern Ireland). All are working to help people gain the tools, skills and support they need to improve their lives in the UK and around the world.

We invite all those who haven't got around to making or up-dating their Will to make an appointment with us this November. The more Will Aid clients we have, the more money we will raise for charity.