Solicitor’s Guide Will Month 2017
SOLICITORS
You’re making a huge difference Thank you for supporting St Luke’s Will Month. You’re already on your way to making a huge difference to the lives of people across Sheffield affected by terminal illness. Since our first campaign in 2011, local solicitors have raised over
£100,000 towards our care and now Will Month is back for a seventh year.
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All money raised from Will Month helps us to continue providing free, specialist care to those with a terminal illness in Sheffield whist supporting their families. Every day we look after people over 18 from across the Sheffield region, with all kinds of terminal illnesses, including end stage neurological, heart, kidney and lung conditions, cancer and HIV. Each year, we help around 1,600 patients – some of them come to the hospice but many more are looked after at home by our team of community nurses, who help treat and alleviate pain, support and counsel and in some cases, help patients to die at home, if that’s what they want. It’s not just patients that we help either – we extend support, counselling and practical help to family members too.
What is St Luke’s Will Month? Will Month is an annual fundraising campaign run by St Luke’s which aims to encourage more people to make a Will with a solicitor whilst at the same time, raising vital funds so that we can continue caring for the people of Sheffield when they need it most.
How does Will Month work? Will Month is a partnership between Sheffield solicitors and St Luke’s. Participating firms offer to draw up or update simple Wills free of charge during the month of April to anyone making a St Luke’s Will Month booking. In return for this service, the solicitors ask the Will maker to make a donation to St Luke’s that reflects the level of work and expertise involved. These suggested donation amounts cover a basic Will or Joint Will where the client is leaving their estate to a limited number of people and the estate value does not require complicated tax advice. In the case of more complex instructions, the donation would be deducted from the normal charge.
Suggested minimum donations Single Will
£95
Joint Will
£135
£70 for a codicil or amendment
How do people hear about Will Month? We publicise Will Month extensively in local, outdoor and social media, our chain of charity shops and to existing St Luke’s supporters from late February to encourage the Sheffield community to make a donation to help St Luke’s, rather than paying a standard Will writing fee. Prospective Will makers will be able to find details of participating solicitors on our website or by calling our Will Month Hotline on 0114 235 7594. Participants are encouraged to book their appointment directly with the participating solicitor if they wish. Will Month is a really popular scheme and a great way to support St Luke’s. From previous years, we understand that this scheme will bring lots of new clients through your doors. If for any reason you cannot accommodate an appointment please let us know by calling 0114 235 7594 so that we can direct Will Makers to an alternative solicitor.
3 step guide to Will Month success
1
Spread the word! Publicity makes all the difference but your help to promote the scheme is what makes a really big difference.
Display publicity material Use the enclosed posters and leaflets in your office, mailings, nearby shops, churches, post offices, estate agents and/or Independent Financial Advisors.
Mention Will Month in any upcoming marketing.
Include a link to our Will Month page on your website.
Local newspapers and radio are naturally very interested in stories like Will Month. If you are willing to be interviewed by local radio, please let us know by calling Jack on 0114 235 7594.
2
Receiving enquiries Brief your colleagues
Please ask your clients to consider making a charitable legacy. Whilst this is not a condition of Will Month, legacies are a vital source of income for St Luke’s so it’s a wonderful bonus if a client chooses to leave one.
Arrange appointments to suit you. You’re more than welcome to spread appointments before or after April.
If a client has complicated requirements, you can charge separately for the additional work involved at your normal fee. This additional cost should be explained and agreed with the client at the initial meeting and charged separately.
You could receive enquiries any time from February, so let everyone in your organisation know about the campaign.
Ensure your clients know that although you’re giving your time free of charge, they will still receive the same high quality service as your other clients and you will prepare their Will to the same high standard.
Let us know how it’s going Let us know as soon as possible if you receive more enquiries than you can accomodate and start directing callers to us so that we can refer them to other firms with appointments left.
3
Accepting the donation
We will provide everything you need including donation envelopes (with a Gift Aid declaration on the back) and feedback forms. If at any point you need additional envelopes, forms or leaflets, please let us know by calling 0114 235 7594.
Clients can pay their donation by cash and cheque (made payable to ‘St Luke’s Hospice’) or by debit/credit card on the St Luke’s website. Anyone paying online needs to select ‘Will Month’ from the ‘reason for donating’ drop down list. They will then receive an email acknowledging the receipt of the donation, which the client should show you at their first appointment.
Don’t forget… Gift Aid declarations must be completed by the individual who makes the donation (i.e. signed the cheque). If you have a pair of clients making a Will together and their donation doesn’t come from a joint account, please ask that they each complete a separate declaration for the amount of their donation.
At the end of each Will writing please ask the client to complete the ‘Feedback form’. This information is extremely valuable to us for future planning and will be kept completely confidential. We do however understand if the client does not wish to disclose this information.
After all the donations are in… Please contact us on 0114 235 7594 to arrange either a secure collection or a time to return donations to St Luke’s. Please remember to send us: Completed Gift Aid declaration envelopes to enable us to claim an extra 25p for every £1 of eligible donations. A list of all of your Will Month clients so that we can cross check with our system to ensure they are accredited to the correct solicitor. At the end of the campaign we’ll be sure to celebrate your success by inviting you to St Luke’s to have a tour of our facilities. We will present you with a certificate showing the fantastic amount you’ve raised along with organising a cheque presentation to showcase your outstanding support. We can also shout about your success using press releases and social media.
Will month pack By the end of February we will drop off your solicitors packs with everything you will need to take part in Will Month. This will include: • • • •
Leaflets Posters (various sizes) Legacy packs Large promotional vinyl banners (these are perfect for on street advertising and will be provided on request) • Envelopes • Feedback forms • A St Luke’s USB stick containing all of the above marketing resources in PDF format and an email banner for use by your teams.
Notes
Thank you so much for your generous support of St Luke’s Will Month campaign. We couldn’t do it without you – and remember that every penny you raise will help our patients and their families at a time when everyday matters more than ever. Do you have any questions about Will Month? Please call Jack Kidder on 0114 235 7594 or email j.kidder@hospicesheffield.co.uk
St Luke’s Little Common Lane Sheffield S11 9NE www.stlukeshospice.org.uk
Telephone: 0114 236 9911 Email: info@hospicesheffield.co.uk @StLukes_Sheff /StLukesHospiceSheffield
Registered Charity No. 254402