Law practices across the South Hams have offered to waive their fees for writing Wills during the week of April 16-20, on condition that clients make a donation to Citizens Advice South Hams.

This means big savings to clients and a boost to the local charity. In Kingsbridge, Start Point Law will be taking part from its offices at 108 Fore Street.

Other practices in the South Hams waiving their fees are SW Law, and Howard and Over Solicitors, both in Ivybridge, Wollen Michelmore Solicitors in Dartmouth and Boyce Hatton in Totnes. In addition Start Point Law will also be working from the Citizens Advice offices in Totnes on Monday 16th April.

Citizens Advice South Hams is part of over 300 independent local charities across England and Wales. Alongside fellow Citizens Advice partners, the charity helps people to resolve their money, legal and other problems by providing information and advice.

Janie Moor, CEO of Citizens Advice South Hams said: “Everyone should make sure they have a legally valid and witnessed Will.

“If you die without making one, money, property and possessions will be allocated in a way defined by law and possibly not how you would have wished.

“Unmarried partners and partners who have not registered a civil partnership cannot inherit. Also any existing Will is no longer valid once you marry, so anyone wanting to leave assets to anyone other than their wife, husband or civil partner needs to make sure they have an up to date Will.

“We have received heart breaking calls from clients when close family members die and they have not inherited because a Will hadn’t been updated”.

Chris Hall, a Trustee at Citizens Advice South Hams, said: “We are incredibly grateful to all of the solicitors who are supporting us during Wills Week and the clients who make donations. Most people don’t realise that in England and Wales, Citizens Advice is made up of 300 small local charities and that we rely on grants and charitable donations to survive. Without help like this and the trained volunteers who give so much of their time, we wouldn’t be able to continue with our vital work”.

To make an appointment at Start Point Law please ring them on 01548 288008 or email [email protected], please quote Citizens Advice Wills Week.

The offer is only available to those who wish to make a simple Will which would typically include basic gifts of cash, property, assets, or family heirlooms to beneficiaries. Suggested donations to Citizens Advice would be £75 for an individual or £125 for a joint will. Appointments are vital, so anyone thinking of taking the offer up is advised to book well ahead.

Last year in the South Hams alone the charity helped over 4,000 people with over 9,000 issues, face to face, by phone and by email.

Advice and information is available by calling 03 444 111 444 between 9am and 4pm from Monday to Friday or by visiting the website at www.southhamscab.org.uk.

Drop in appointments are also available at the main office in Follaton House from Monday to Thursday between 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm. In addition, people can drop in at the Watermark Centre in Ivybridge on Monday from 9.30am to 12.30pm, at Quay House in Kingsbridge on Tuesday from 9.30am to 12.30pm, at the Dartmouth Clinic in Dartmouth on Tuesday from 9.30pm to 12.30pm and at the Caring Town Information Exchange in Totnes on Friday from 10.30am to 2.30pm.