Over £2,000 raised for Colchester Hospitals through Birkett Long’s Make a Will Month

March 26, 2012 - PRLog -- Throughout February, patients and staff at Colchester General and Essex County hospitals were invited to take advantage of a will writing service, provided free of charge by Birkett Long’s expert solicitors. In return, they were asked to make a donation to Colchester Hospitals Charity (CoHoC).  

Legal Executive Caroline Dowding, who organised the activity on behalf of the wills team, explained that participants were encouraged to make a £75 donation for a single person’s will or £100 for a couple’s.

“We were delighted to raise more than £2,000 during the month,” she said.  “We’ve previously supported a number of larger national charities through schemes such as Will Aid, but we were keen to support a local good cause during this campaign.

“CoHoC does amazing work for Colchester’s hospitals, providing equipment and environmental improvements which are above and beyond the scope of the NHS budget.  The patients really feel the benefit of the charity’s efforts.”

Funds raised by CoHoC are utilised at Colchester General Hospital and Essex County Hospital, as well as clinics at community hospitals in Clacton, Harwich and Halstead.  There are 130 subdivisions of the charity which all benefit from the money raised, such as the breast unit and neo natal unit.

CoHoC Fundraising Manager Caroline Bates gave thanks to Birkett Long for the donation.  “We are tremendously grateful,” she said.  “The money will go into our general purpose fund which can be spent on any number of improvements at the hospitals.  

“For example, we are currently hoping to cheer up a children’s waiting area at the orthoptic clinic by providing toys and books.  This would make a huge difference for the young patients who might have to be seen by a number of different specialists in one day.”

Birkett Long provides a wide range of legal and financial services including probate, wills, inheritance tax planning and fixed-fee funeral plans. With 22 partners, the firm has offices in Basildon, Chelmsford and Colchester.  For more information, visit www.birkettlong.co.uk.

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