As Citizens Advice reaches its 85th year this month, the charity is holding a will writing fundraising drive in the South Hams to help secure its future.

Local law firms, Start Point Law and Roper James Solicitors, will be waiving their normal will writing fees to help Citizens Advice South Hams.

The offer is open to anyone who wants to make a simple will, which might include bequests of basic gifts of cash, property, assets or heirlooms to family and friends. In return, you can make a donation to Citizens Advice South Hams.

The suggestion is £100 for a single will or £150 for a joint will.

Citizens Advice South Hams Chief Executive, Janie Moor, said:

“We are delighted that Start Point Law in Kingsbridge and Roper James Solicitors are helping us raise badly-needed funds during our 85th anniversary year.

Any donations will help us expand our work to meet ever increasing needs in the South Hams area and continue to provide an important lifeline for so many people in the years to come.”

Camilla Pinkney, of Roper James, added:

“It is incredibly important to put into place a Will to explain who is entitled to deal with your Estate (assets, liabilities and funeral arrangements) on your death and who is to then inherit.

“This provides reassurance for loved ones and provides you with peace of mind that the people you want inherit do.

“Without a will in place, Statute Law stipulates who can deal with your estate and who can inherit and this may not be in line with your wishes.

A will can also include the appointment of guardians for any children under the age of 18, it can specify who is to care for your pets and it can include gifts of money, cars, jewellery etc.”

Citizens Advice South Hams is an independent local charity, offering free, confidential and impartial advice to everyone in the community, regardless of age, race, income, religion, gender, disability or political beliefs.

Every year it helps more than 6,000 people from the South Hams find a way through their problems, face-to-face at our offices and outreaches or by phone.

The charity advises on a wide range of issues, including benefits, debt, housing, energy costs, discrimination, relationship breakdowns, emergency support (such as foodbank vouchers) and consumer problems and relies on a dedicated and highly trained team of volunteers, backed by professional staff, who give their time freely to help people in their community.

Citizens Advice has always relied on local volunteers who understand the specific needs of their communities, and helped people through various national landmark issues, such as the launch of the NHS, mass unemployment, changes to the benefits system, and more recently, covid regulations and the cost of living crisis.

To help secure the future of Citizens Advice in the South Hams by making a will, contact Start Point Law on 01548 288008 or [email protected] who are offering free wills (September 16-20) or Roper James Solicitors in Ivybridge on 01752-546448, email [email protected] (September 18-29).