Lawyers who raised over £2,500 in 2010 for Rowcroft Hospice looking to exceed this in 2011

Tuesday, 26 April 2011 00:00

Despite the recession, local solicitors, Tozers LLP, raised £2,590 for Rowcroft Hospice in 2010. During Make a Will week which runs from 23rd – 27th May 2011, lawyers at Tozers in Teignmouth, Newton Abbot and Exeter will give their time free of charge to update or write Wills, in return for a donation to the hospice. Suggested minimum donations are £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 is agreed in advance.

In total, 27 offices of solicitors took part last year, enabling 154 Wills to be written and £20,859 was raised. The money 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 dies 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, Rowcroft 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: 'We all know we should make a Will. Do it now and help one of our most deserving local charities at the same time.'