Will Aid set to help needy again
28 Oct 04
Scots can help famine relief in November simply by making a will
November is the month when Scots can help some of the world's poorest people by having a will drawn up - and the needy will benefit straightaway.
This comes about through the latest running of the biennial Will Aid scheme, under which participating solicitors draft wills without charging a fee in exchange for client donations to charity. The campaign has already raised over £4 million for charity since its launch by Oban solicitor Graeme Pagan in 1988.
Five hundred Scottish solicitors have so far signed up to the campaign, making them the most-willing solicitors in the UK, according to the Law Society of Scotland - more are involved in relation to population than any other UK country. The solicitors will be helping to raise money for charities at home and abroad such as ActionAid, Sightsavers International and Help the Aged.
Law Society of Scotland President Duncan Murray urged people who have not yet made a will to do so in November. "Many Scots die each year without making a will and in doing so can leave behind a great deal of distress and confusion for their loved ones. This is all the more tragic as it can be so easily avoided by having your solicitor write you a will, a simple process which reduces the burden on your family at a time of grief."
Scots wishing to have a will drawn up by a Will Aid registered solicitor in November should call 0870 6060 239 or visit
www.willaid.org.uk.