Did you know it’s thanks to kind gifts left to us in peoples Will’s that has enabled us to offer hospice care to North East adults, young people and children for over 35 years?
1 day per week here at St Oswald’s Hospice is funded by these gifts, and any gift no matter the size makes a big difference and could help us secure the future of our vital services for generations to come.
June is Make a Will Month, where we help supporters get organised, giving you piece of mind and an opportunity to give a gift to the Hospice which helps future proof our care. Anybody can write a Will and alongside organising your financial needs, it can help make your other final wishes known too so your family can make plans during that difficult time. Whether you have been considering writing your first Will and don’t know where to start, or have a Will that needs updating we can help.
Writing your Will can feel daunting but it doesn’t need to; we’d like to introduce you to Dawn a volunteer and long-time supporter of St Oswald’s Hospice.
We spoke to Dawn about her connection to the Hospice and why she decided to update her Will during Make a Will Month with one of our trusted Solicitor’s…
“I’ve supported St Oswald’s for a long time and have been volunteering on the Lymphedema Unit since 2019. I have personal connections to the Hospice as I lost my Mother, who died when she was only 49 years old and after that experience I wanted to give something back. I wanted to help others going through difficult times be it with their own health or someone close to them.
Without St Oswald’s many people would have nowhere to turn to at the most difficult times in their life. I see it as a safe haven for patients but it’s also proven to be very important for me; to be able to give back to the community too. I see first-hand the difference St Oswald’s makes to patients’ lives and as importantly, to their families.
I love my volunteering role as it’s a hands-on way of physically helping those in need of care. Taking part in fundraising events, raffles, making donations etc is something I also like to do whenever I can. However, I also know in the back of my mind that when I’m no longer around to do all those things in person, that the money I’ve gifted in my Will carries on my legacy and continues supporting St Oswald’s into the future.
It’s a satisfying feeling knowing that my gift to the Hospice is going to be used to benefit others when I’m no longer here. The future of St Oswald’s depends on supporters from all across the community and the smallest amount gifted in a Will can make a big difference to those that look to St Oswald’s for help and support.”
Leaving a gift to the Hospice is easier than you might think, and we have lots of ways to help you get organised. You can view our free Will writing providers on our website, and whether you prefer online services with Beyond, or telephone appointments and home visits with Accord; there is something for everyone.
Dawn continued;
“I always knew it was an option to leave a gift to a charity, but it wasn’t something I had included in my original Will. Since volunteering at St Oswald’s I’ve heard of people leaving gifts in their Wills and seeing the huge benefits this has to the hospice I wanted to do the same, and leave my own gift.”
Our free Will writing is available all year round and perfect for those who need to make a start and have their wishes known. If you would prefer to speak with a Solicitor directly and discuss your options then Make a Will Month could be the perfect opportunity for you. You will be able to choose from our list of trusted Solicitors in June to take part knowing that your fees will be donated back to the Hospice. We will have several local Solicitors to choose from to get started or if like Dawn you have an existing Will that needs updating, this is for you too. Find out more about Make a Will Month here.
“I receive the Newsletter and noticed Make a Will month and recommendations of local solicitors taking part. My partner and I already had wills but with several changes in our lives we had been thinking for a while that we should update them and this was the perfect opportunity.
At first it seemed like a daunting task and I didn’t even know how to get started! I had an initial chat with the Solicitor over the phone and after completing the questionnaire it really helped me to understand my situation, and it was a much simpler process than I expected. Once the Solicitor had all of our information he invited us into his office for an informal chat, drew up our Wills and sent them out to us in the post. We read them, asked for a couple of changes and then once we received the final drafts we went back into the office to sign them.
I think most people find it difficult just thinking about their death and their final wishes but I can honestly say I feel so much better knowing that I’ve put a plan in place. I believe everyone should have a will no matter how old. It makes it so much less of a worry for family members when they know that the wishes of their loved ones are known, written down and can be carried out legally.
To anyone considering updating or writing a Will, or starting to write their first one; I’d say just go ahead as it’s not as difficult as you’d think! The Solicitor we chose through St Oswald’s was excellent and guided us through everything we needed to do.”
All gifts left to us no matter how small, makes a big difference. It’s a way to enjoy supporting your local Hospice today; knowing you are continuing to support us in the future after you’ve gone.
Like Dawn, we can help you get organised and give you peace of mind knowing your Will is ticked off your to do list. June is Make a Will Month at St Oswald’s Hospice, an opportunity to have a reduced cost Will made by a trusted local solicitor who will gift back your fee to the hospice, just like Dawn’s solicitor did. If you would like to find out more about leaving a gift in your will, please click here for more information.
