Member Article

Harrogate law firm wills people to plan for the future

A Harrogate law firm is helping to address the worrying lack of provision people are making for the future, whilst also raising money for a local hospice. In the last two years LCF Barber Titleys has prepared and drafted almost 40 wills for free, as part of a national campaign to write free wills in return for a charitable donation, which is a popular way for people to support Saint Michael’s Hospice. It is estimated that 63% of adults in Yorkshire have no will in place according to a recent survey commissioned by Unbiased and Prudential. Nationally, 60% of adults don’t have a will. Mark Jones, who heads up the Personal Law team at LCF Barber Titleys, said: “Whenever you talk to people about making a will, the majority know they ought to, but it’s often the case that they have just not got around to it for a number of reasons. These can include time, money, a reluctance to think about the whole aspect of death, or wrongly thinking that they don’t have enough assets to warrant one. “What we hope to get across to people is that making a will is the best way of protecting family members and loved ones. It’s also the only way to be certain that a persons’ wishes will be met in the event of their death. We need to try and remove some of the taboos associated with death, and making a will is a good starting point. Sitting down with a third party can provide clarity, and the guidance we give throughout the process is something we have had very positive feed-back on. “Nowadays there are so many options, including online wills, but having completed almost 40 wills as part of this fundraising initiative, we know first-hand how re-assuring it can be for people of any age to seek legal advice locally with a reputable law firm. Making a will gives real peace of mind for everyone involved. We will be offering the free service again this year and hope to help raise more money for the hospice which does such invaluable work.” Saint Michael’s Hospice helps people affected by terminal illness to live as full a life as possible by providing hospice care across the Harrogate district, as well as helping others to offer hospice standard care to local people.

Acting Head of Fundraising, Lisa Morton, from Saint Michael’s Hospice, said: “The invaluable contribution of LCF Barber Titleys and everyone who took part or donated to the campaign last year allowed Saint Michael’s to be there for more people who need, want and deserve high quality care at the end of their lives.” LCF Barber Titleys will once again take part in the Saint Michael’s Hospice ‘Make a Will Month Campaign’ in April 2019, when the firm plans to help more people plan for the future, whilst also raising funds for the charity.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Emma Mortimer .