Birkett Long Solicitors in Chelmsford are proud to have joined Cancer Research UK’s Free Will Service.

Prior to partnering with Cancer Research UK, Birkett Long solicitors branches across Essex had already written over £54.8k worth of gifts in wills to the charity with their clients.

Birkett Long’s staff have also worked to raise funds internally for Cancer Research UK through various internal events like cake sales, hot dog sales at fireworks night and other fund raising activities and successfully raised £3288.

Emma Clarke, Partner and Solicitor in the Wills, Trusts and Probate Team said “We are very involved in our local community and are delighted to be able to offer a free wills service as a fundraising initiative for such a good cause.”

The Free Will Service helps people to write or update their will free of charge. It also gives guidance for people considering leaving a legacy gift to Cancer Research UK. The service is now being provided at Birkett Long Solicitors, where trained solicitors will be able to offer support to people living in Chelmsford and assist with drafting a will.

Cancer Research UK 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.

A legacy gift can be anything someone wishes to leave in their will. Traditionally this is cash but it could be anything that has a monetary value like an estate or specific item. Anything that is left to Cancer Research UK can be marked to be ring-fenced for research into a specific cancer type or research within a local area.

Cancer survival in the UK has doubled since the early 1970s and Cancer Research UK’s work has been at the heart of that progress. Every step taken by its doctors, nurses and scientists relies on donations from the public and the kindness of supporters who choose to leave a gift in their will.

For more information about leaving a legacy gift and Cancer Research UK’s free will service, visit www.cruk.org/freewillservice or Birkett Long has offices in Chelmsford, Colchester, Basildon and London.