Where there’s a will there’s a way to help

Make or update your will at a reduced cost next month and you’ll be helping to support Bath’s Royal United Hospitals. Eleven solicitor firms across Bath, North East Somerset and Wiltshire are participating in Make A Will month and will be donating their fees to the RUH’S fundraising charity, The Forever Friends Appeal. The initiative helps people put their affairs in order by having a single standard will written for £125 or standard mirror wills or joint wills written for £175. Jan Witt, in memory and legacy officer for The Forever Friends Appeal said: “It may come as a surprise that fewer than half of the population have an up-to-date will, despite its importance in offering you peace of mind and security for both you and your family. “Often having a will written can be expensive, therefore, we’d like to urge people to take advantage of this will writing offer at the reduced rates to ensure your savings and possessions go to the people you love and care for.” She added: “Make A Will month is an opportunity to support your local hospital and you can request that your fee is donated to a specific area of the hospital if you have a special connection to a ward or department in the RUH.” The RUH will month initiative has raised around £187,000 since its launch three years ago. David Hill, partner and head of private client for Mogers Drewett solicitors, Bath, said: “It is not any easy topic to address and is often put at the bottom of the to-do list, but there are various changes in life that may mean you should consider making or updating your will. “A will makes it much easier for your family or friends to sort everything out when you die, and without a will the process can be more time consuming, costly and stressful. “Writing a will is especially important if you have children or other family members who depend on you financially. If you don’t write a will everything will go under the Rules of Intestacy defined by the law, which is not always the way you might want your estate to be distributed. You may also wish to consider appointing guardians for young children.” The full list of solicitors participating can be found on The Forever Friends Appeal website: www.foreverfriendsappeal.co.uk

Actor David Suchet who has been appearing at Theatre Royal in The Price gives his support to the scheme to have a will written at a reduced cost with the fees donated to The Forever Friends Appeal

RUH staff with some of the solicitors taking part – the red heart shaped signs have the names of wards which have benefitted in the past from the scheme while the blue signs show people should make a will