Where there’s a will, there’s a way to raise money, says Peebles law firm

A Peebles law firm has raised more than £7,000 to provide help for families hit by coronavirus, by taking part in Will Aid.
Staff at Blackwood & Smith LLP make a donation to Save the Children. From left: Fiona Fleming, partne; Emma Lawrie, associate; Struan Ferguson, partner; Katy Williamson, Save the Children; Ruth Montgomery, solicitor and Sally Swinney, senior partner.Staff at Blackwood & Smith LLP make a donation to Save the Children. From left: Fiona Fleming, partne; Emma Lawrie, associate; Struan Ferguson, partner; Katy Williamson, Save the Children; Ruth Montgomery, solicitor and Sally Swinney, senior partner.
Staff at Blackwood & Smith LLP make a donation to Save the Children. From left: Fiona Fleming, partne; Emma Lawrie, associate; Struan Ferguson, partner; Katy Williamson, Save the Children; Ruth Montgomery, solicitor and Sally Swinney, senior partner.

Blackwood & Smith LLP in Peebles raised a total of £7,885 in the campaign, which invites solicitors to give up a portion of their time in the month of November to write wills in exchange for a voluntary donation to charity.

That money is then split between nine organisations – one of which is Save the Children.

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Jon Jacques from Save the Children said the sum was enough to provide resource packs for more than 7,500 families in the UK, containing child-friendly information on COVID-19, learning materials and tips to manage childrens’ wellbeing.

He said: “Like many charities, coronavirus has had a significant impact on our income and fundraising activities so we are hugely grateful for initiatives like Will Aid.

“This kind of money could also pay for ‘school in a bag’ kits for more than 500 children in Yemen to make sure they don’t miss out on their education.

“Save the Children believes every child deserves a future and whether here in the UK, in Yemen or around the world, we work every day to give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm.

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“We deliver lasting results for millions of children, including those hardest to reach but in order to do this effectively we need money.

“That is why we are incredibly grateful to firms like Blackwood & Smith LLP who take part in Will Aid.

“By giving up their time, they have managed to raise a significant sum and by demonstrating the type of project that this money could fund, we hope they can see what a tangible difference their efforts can make.”

Sally Swinney from Blackwood & Smith LLP said the team had written more than 90 wills during November to raise £7,885.

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This is the 10th year the firm has taken part in the month-long fundraiser and their total raised to date is £21,796.

Sally added: “Making a will with a professional solicitor is one of the most important pieces of paperwork a person can complete and yet millions of people put it off.

“Coronavirus has also highlighted to many the importance of protecting your loved ones in the event that the worst were to happen.

“The demand for Will Aid’s services increases year on year and we are anticipating this year’s demand to be the highest yet.

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“In previous years, we have been unable to fulfil the demand ... we need more solicitors to sign up and donate their time to Will Aid.

“There has been a huge demand for will-writing in the last few months as a result and Will Aid therefore is a great opportunity for people to get their affairs in order and help charities that have suffered a lot in this period of lockdown.

“We know that the donations we raise reach some of the most vulnerable individuals world-wide, changing lives for the better. So it really is win-win!”

Will Aid raises money for charities: ActionAid, British Red Cross, Christian Aid, NSPCC, Save The Children, Sightsavers, Age UK, SCIAF (Scotland) and Trocaire (Northern Ireland).

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Will Aid solicitors will be following the most up-to-date government health advice to ensure that face-to-face meetings remain safe.

Many firms will be able to write wills at a distance via a phone or online consultations.

Some firms will only be offering their services remotely. Participating firms can be contacted directly for more information.

Will Aid will run again in November 2020. Find out more by visiting www.willaid.org.uk

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