Will Writing Month 2025

Creating or updating your Will is one of the most important steps you can take to ensure your wishes are respected. Having a current, valid Will makes it much easier for your loved ones to carry out your intentions after you're gone. Without one, your estate will be distributed according to standard legal rules, which may not reflect what you would have wanted.

Additionally, if you leave at least 10% of your taxable estate to charity, the inheritance tax rate on the remainder of your estate can be reduced from 40% to 36%.

For more information on leaving a gift in your Will contact our gifts in Wills team on 01903 706325 or wills@southernhospicegroup.org.uk

Anyone aged 18 or over can take part in our Will Writing Month. This special campaign is designed to help you get your affairs in order while supporting the compassionate care we provide at our hospices.

It’s ideal for:

• Supporters who don’t yet have a Will
• Those needing to update an existing Will due to life changes such as marriage, children, or retirement
• Anyone who wants to leave a lasting legacy to help ensure our hospice can continue caring for people affected by life-limiting illness and their families
• Local individuals and couples who can visit one of our participating solicitors

Whether you're making your first Will or simply updating it, this is a meaningful way to plan for the future whilst making a real difference to those we care for.

We are very fortunate to have the support of local solicitors for Will Writing Month, who generously agreed to offer a limited number of Will writing appointments in lieu of a suggested donation to Martlets.

Our Will Writing Month takes place in September, with appointments taking place through September and October.

Suggested donation amounts are £250 for a single Will and £400 for a joint, or mirror, Will.

If you would like to support Martlets and make your Will at the same time, please fill in the form above to make your donation and we will email you a list of participating solicitors. We will also post out a client feedback form.

Appointments can then be made directly with participating solicitors. Solicitors will ask at your first appointment for you to bring along your thank you email as proof of donation.

Please be aware that the number of appointments is limited.

Anytime! The purpose of a Will is to put down what you would want to happen if something happens to you. If you’d like to be contacted about any future Will Writing Month services, please contact our gifts in Wills team on wills@southernhospicegroup.org.uk

Whilst you do not have to include a gift in your Will to participate in our Will Writing Month, we do hope it’s something you will consider. We will never ask you to tell us your intentions. But, if you choose to, then we would love to be able to say thank you!

As Martlets and St Barnabas House are now part of Southern Hospice Group, you can participate in the scheme for both hospices if you’d like to. When making your donation please specify if you’d like your donation to go to one hospice or both.

While it’s our preference that funds raised are unrestricted and can be spent wherever the need is greatest across Southern Hospice Group, we understand if you want to give specifically to Martlets.

If you intend on leaving a gift in your Will to Martlets, the creation of Southern Hospice Group (which encompasses Chestnut Tree House, Martlets and St Barnabas House) will not affect your gift. We will be able to honour your wish through a process already in place to make sure your donation is restricted to your chosen hospice.

We recommend using a solicitor to draw up a Will, or to amend an existing Will.

If you decide to leave us a gift in your Will, you will need to include the following information:

• Our legal name: The Martlets Hospice Ltd
• Our address: Wayfield Avenue, Hove, East Sussex, BN3 7LW
• Our registered charity number: 256789
• The type of gift or the amount you wish Martlets to receive