11 Feb Make A Will For Free And Help Your Local Community

Local will writers are helping to raise money for Citizens Advice Cornwall by offering their services free of charge in return for a donation to the charity.

The fundraising initiative is part of Will Week, which starts on Monday 28 February.

The money raised during the week will go towards Citizens Advice work providing help to people with problems including paying energy bills, claiming benefits, dealing with debt, housing and employment problems, discrimination and consumer issues.

Last year, the charity helped 9,000 people in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly overcome their problems and this number is expected to increase substantially as the cost of living increase begins to bite.

Citizens Advice Cornwall Chief Executive, Gill Pipkin, said:

“This is a generous offer from local will writers to give people the opportunity to help keep our service running in the future.

“Our team of staff and volunteers do a fantastic job helping people turn their lives around, but we need donations to pay for our training, IT and office functions.”

CASE STUDY:

JOSS

We helped Joss, who was struggling on a very low income, claim a total of £8,745 in benefits back pay which she should have been entitled to.

She wrote to tell us: “It has saved too many hours, days, months of anxiety to remember, and that feeling of helplessness and hopelessness.

“I must say I never thought I had so many essential and fairly essential things to buy for myself (clothes / footwear) and the home until I had the money to buy some of them!  Without means, things just wear out / run out and never get replaced and my debts are paid off. It was just in time as they were already spiralling out of control.  Honestly you are brilliant. Thank you so much…“

(Name changed to protect identity)

To take advantage of the free will writing service and make a donation to Citizens Advice, just contact the following services who have agreed to take part:

Jess Thompson, Maplebrook Wills – jess.thompson@maplebrookwills.co.uk