Nantwich firm Hall Smith Whittingham Solicitors have been recognised by Cancer Research UK after helping raise more than £678,000 of gifts from people’s wills.
Solicitors Alison Greatbanks, Angela Lewis, Hugh Lewis-Morgan and Simon O’Leary were presented with a Silver certificate by the charity in acknowledgement of the firm’s ongoing support.
Hall Smith Whittingham have been offering a Free Will Service to people aged 55 and over in Cheshire for more than 20 years, giving advice and support for those wishing to write a will or update an existing one.
As part of the service, Hall Smith Whittingham give free guidance for those wishing to leave a legacy gift for Cancer Research UK.
The charity receives no government funding for its research and relies heavily on the generosity of people leaving gifts in their wills.
Over a third of its research into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer is funded through supporters leaving a legacy to the charity.
Alison Greatbanks, Wills and Probate Solicitor at Hall Smith Whittingham, said: “Cancer Research UK is a Charity which is close to many people’s hearts whether because they or a loved one has received treatment for cancer which would have not been possible if the research had not been undertaken by Cancer Research UK.”
A legacy gift can be anything someone wishes to leave in their will.
Traditionally this is money, but it could be anything that has a monetary value like land or property or a specific item.
Anything left to Cancer Research UK will be free of tax and can be marked to be ring-fenced for research into a specific cancer type or research within a local area.
Clare Moore, director of legacies at Cancer Research UK, said: “We all reach a stage at some point in our lives where we start to look ahead and consider what will happen to our financial affairs in the future, when we may no longer be around.
“At Cancer Research UK, we work with a number of local solicitors including Hall Smith Whittingham to offer local people aged 55 or over the chance to make an all-important first will or to update an existing one.
“The service has grown in popularity over the past couple of years and while it is provided free of any obligation, most people choose to kindly leave a gift to the charity.
“By offering Cancer Research UK’s Free Will Service the team at Hall Smith Whittingham have become well informed about our work and are very supportive of our life-saving research.
“Whenever their clients express a desire to support us, their team act with great sensitivity as they explain the various options and allow individuals or families to make the right choice in their own good time.
“It’s quite astonishing to think that by simply combining enthusiasm with the highest professional standards Hall Smith Whittingham has helped secure over £678,000 worth of legacy gifts, which will go a long way towards helping our scientists, doctors and nurses to beat cancer sooner.”
For more information about leaving a legacy gift and Cancer Research UK’s free will service, visit www.cruk.org/freewillservice or call Hall Smith Whittingham on 01270 610300
(pic l-r: Simon O’Leary, Angela Lewis, Alison Greatbanks and Hugh Lewis-Morgan)
