The pandemic has certainly made people reflect on the fragility of life.
Here at Will Aid, the charity will-writing campaign, understandably, we have seen a rise in enquiries – with people looking to book an appointment during this year’s campaign.
These people, who want to prepare this vital piece of paperwork to ensure their wishes are met and their loved ones are protected, are also seeing the scheme as a chance to give back to some of the charities and vulnerable people who have been hit hardest by the pandemic.
Will Aid works by linking people who want wills with participating solicitors around the UK.
Every November these solicitors give up a proportion of their time and instead of taking a fee for writing straight forward wills, ask clients to make a voluntary donation to Will Aid instead – the money raised is then split between the nine Will Aid charities. Although this campaign, given the rapidly changing landscape, appointments are also being made for December and beyond dependant on firm’s circumstances.
This year we urgently need more solicitors to sign up and take part to meet the unprecedented interest.
Support charities in desperate need of funds, while generating new business for your firm
The third sector has been significantly impacted by the epidemic.
According to research from the Institute of Fundraising, charities are expecting to see a 24% reduction in total income for 2020 – a total loss of £12.4billion.
Coronavirus forced the closure of charity shops and cancellation of big fundraising events, such as the London Marathon, a key route that charities rely on to raise donations and which enable them to provide their vital services.
By taking part in Will Aid, you are not only helping people protect their family by drawing up a will, you are also helping to raise vital funds for Will Aid’s nine partner charities: ActionAid, Age UK, British Red Cross, Christian Aid, NSPCC, Trocaire, Save the Children, SCIAF and Sightsavers.
These charities played a vital part throughout the pandemic, but they need support and funding to be able to continue their lifesaving work, as the effects of coronavirus are still present in various communities.
Solicitor benefits
Taking part in Will Aid also benefits solicitors in many ways. Many firms who sign up to participate in the campaign are likely to continue participating in future campaigns. In fact, some firms have been taking part in the scheme for more than ten years.
It’s a great way to give back to the community and also raise your profile locally. Participating solicitors receive free publicity to publicise their involvement in the campaign and following the campaign, they are presented with a certificate by one of the charity representatives to thank them for their efforts.
For more information about Will Aid, or to take part visit: willaid.org.uk
