Solicitors make Wills for free and raise £3,285 for Rowcroft Hospice

Friday, 21 October 2011 00:00

Despite the recession, local solicitors, Tozers LLP, have raised £3,285 for Rowcroft Hospice. 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.

Rowcroft Hospice confirmed that a total of £21,140 was raised this year by Make a Will week and last year 27 firms of solicitors took part. Tozers LLP have raised 30% more this year for Rowcroft Hospice than they did last year.

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.'