Make a Will Month returns – and it’s all about caring for the future
For 13 years, Make a Will Month has seen local solicitors kindly donate their time for a payment to Pilgrims Hospices, helping people make or update their Wills.
Over that time, the campaign has raised an incredible £234,704 to help Pilgrims continue caring for people facing life-limiting illness.
How does it work?
This April, tick something important off your list, and make a difference in your local community at the same time.
“We are incredibly grateful to the solicitors who give their time each year, ensuring people can access trusted legal advice, while helping Pilgrims be there for families when they need us most.”
– Ellie Cane, Individual Giving Manager
Why write your Will
Having an up to date Will gives peace of mind and protects the people you care about, whilst making it easier for your loved ones to follow your wishes when you’re gone. If you don’t have a valid Will, everything you own will be shared following certain rules, rather than according to your personal wishes.
“After people have made their Will, I find that it gives them peace of mind. They leave the office a lot happier than when they came in. A lot of people find it difficult to talk about death, but they often find the process is a lot easier than they expect.”
– Paula Patton, Partner at Boys & Maughan Solicitors
Many people also choose to leave a gift to charity – a lasting way to reflect the causes that matter most to you. Leaving a gift in your Will to Pilgrims Hospices isn’t required to take part in Make a Will Month, but if you choose to, you can help secure the future of hospice care.
Join us this April
By taking part in Make a Will Month 2026, you will help fund compassionate care for local people facing some of life’s toughest moments.
We are so thankful to everyone who chooses to take part, and to the amazing solicitors who make it possible.
Pilgrims Hospices provides compassionate, specialist care free of charge to thousands of people in east Kent each year who are living with life-limiting conditions. Support is offered in patients’ homes, in the community, and at our three hospice sites in Canterbury, Thanet and Ashford. We also run a 24-hour advice line.
2nd February 2026
A legacy in colour: Thanet artist donates his life’s work to Pilgrims Hospices
Local artist Carl Stafford has pledged to leave his entire collection of paintings to Pilgrims Hospices in his Will, creating a lasting legacy that will help protect hospice care for people across east Kent.
Carl’s father
When we visited Carl at his gallery-style home in Ramsgate, every wall was alive with colour and surrealist imagination.
Speaking in his gentle Brummy accent, the 61-year-old father of two daughters and grandfather of five shared how his lifelong passion for art – and his personal experience of hospice care – inspired his decision.
Carl’s father was cared for by a hospice many years ago, and the experience has stayed with him.
“The care was just exemplary,” Carl recalls.
“Nothing was too much trouble, and they made the end of his life comfortable and free from pain. They even organised a wedding for him and his long-term partner, which made the end of his life so special for him and those closest to him.
That sparked something within me that made me realise supporting special places such as hospices was really important. This is Hospice Care at its very best.”
Carl’s art is full of expression and dreamlike imagery, influenced by Salvador Dalí, René Magritte and Max Ernst, among others. Through his legacy, he hopes his creative life’s work will help future generations to experience the same compassion, dignity and support that meant so much to his family.
Carl Stafford Art 6
Carl Stafford Art 5
Carl Stafford Art 4
Carl Stafford Art 3
Carl Stafford Art 2
Carl Stafford Art 1
“I’m a very positive person, and by making this legacy, I hope it will help many people in the future to take comfort and support from Pilgrims Hospices,” he said. “I’ve always been inspired by my father, who was a very fine artist. I still treasure a painting he created for me back in the 1970s. I take great pleasure in the thought that my own work will live on and continue to make a difference.”
Carl working in his studio
Carl also draws inspiration from his local area. Living close to where Vincent Van Gogh once stayed and worked in Ramsgate gives him a special connection to art history and his community.
By choosing to leave his body of work to Pilgrims Hospices, Carl is ensuring that his love of art will continue to support others, helping protect the future of hospice care for generations to come.
Securing hospice care for future generations
Pilgrims Hospices care for an estimated 30% of the people who die in east Kent each year, providing free, specialist end-of-life care in their inpatient units in Canterbury, Thanet and Ashford, as well as in people’s own homes. This compassionate, holistic support for patients and families is what hospice care truly means.
Ellie Cane, Individual Giving Manager at Pilgrims Hospices, said:
“We’re so grateful to Carl for his incredible generosity. Every gift in a Will, large or small, helps us to be there for patients and families when they need us most. Carl’s story shows the very special ways people can leave a legacy of care for their community, protecting hospice care for future generations.”
Pilgrims Hospices provides compassionate, specialist care free of charge to thousands of people in east Kent each year who are living with life-limiting conditions. Support is offered in patients’ homes, in the community, and at our three hospice sites in Canterbury, Thanet and Ashford. We also run a 24-hour advice line.
1st March 2024
Local solicitors partner with Pilgrims Hospices for Make a Will Month 2024
This April, the people of east Kent are invited to participate in Make a Will Month 2024, a charitable initiative led by Pilgrims Hospices, in collaboration with local solicitor firms. During this month-long event, participating solicitors will generously donate their time and expertise to write and review Wills, waiving their usual fee in exchange for donations to Pilgrims Hospices.
For over a decade, Pilgrims Hospices has provided invaluable support to the local community by offering the opportunity for individuals to ensure their affairs are in order and their wishes are fulfilled through the Make a Will Month initiative. Since its inception, the scheme has raised an impressive £200,000 and assisted over 1000 people in east Kent.
In preparation for this year’s Make a Will Month, participating solicitors were invited to the Thanet Hospice Therapy Centre in February. During the gathering, they had the opportunity to learn more about the vital care provided by Pilgrims Hospices and discuss the upcoming scheme over breakfast. Ellie Cane, Individual Giving Manager, expressed gratitude to the solicitor firms for their continued partnership, emphasising the significant impact their support has on patients and their loved ones.
Appointments for Make a Will Month 2024 are now available and can be booked directly with your preferred solicitor. For more information on the participating solicitors and their contact details, as well as suggested donation amounts, please click here.
Make a Will Month 2024 presents a unique opportunity for individuals to secure their future, while supporting the compassionate care provided by Pilgrims Hospices to those facing life-limiting illnesses in the local community.
Pilgrims Hospices provides compassionate end-of-life care and support to individuals and their families across east Kent. With a team of dedicated staff and volunteers, Pilgrims Hospices offers a range of services aimed at enhancing quality of life and providing comfort during difficult times. To learn more, why not take a virtual tour of our hospices.
1st March 2023
Make a Will Month returns to Pilgrims Hospices
In April 2023, eight solicitor firms across east Kent are generously giving their time and expertise to write or update Wills, in exchange for donations to Pilgrims Hospices.
In the UK, nearly 60% of adults do not have a Will. By making your appointment via Pilgrims’ Make a Will Month scheme, you can ensure your wishes will be fulfilled when you’re gone.
Solicitors across east Kent will waive their fees to write or update Wills, with all proceeds going directly towards providing local hospice care. Since its inception in 2013, the scheme has raised over £185,000 for Pilgrims, and has helped over 1,000 local people to make or update their Wills.
Each year, the participating firms are invited in to one of the hospices to discuss the upcoming scheme. This year, they were joined by Sophie Van Walwyk, Head of Psychosocial and Wellbeing Services, who gave the solicitors an insight into the vital work the hospice does with their patients in the Therapy Centres.
Sophie said: “Part of the vital work we do at the hospice is supporting our patients and their families plan for their death. If you need to make or update your Will, there really is no better way to do it, knowing that you’ll also be making a huge difference to the lives of so many people who benefit from our care in the most difficult of times.”
These local solicitor firms are taking part in Make a Will Month 2023:
Boys & Maughan
Gardner Croft
Girlings
Mowll & Mowll
Prospero Solicitors
Robinson Allfree
Stilwell & Singleton
Whitehead Monckton
Visit pilgrimshospices.org/makeawill for further information on suggested donation amounts, and to see a full list of participating solicitor branches.
Pilgrims Hospices cares for thousands of local people each year, free of charge, during the most challenging time in their lives. They offer care and support in people’s own homes, in the community and in their inpatient units as well as running a 24-hour advice line.
1st March 2022
Make a Will Month celebrates tenth year of supporting hospice care
In April and May 2022, seven solicitor firms across east Kent are generously giving their time and expertise to write or update Wills, in exchange for donations to Pilgrims Hospices.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the hospice charity’s Make a Will Month scheme, normally held in February, which has raised over £170,000 for hospice care. For 2022, appointments will be available throughout April and May* for those who wish to make or amend Single or Mirror Wills.
We’ve heard first-hand just how invaluable the work of Pilgrims really is. Many clients choose to support them when drafting their Wills, so we are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to show our support too!
Zara King, Stilwell & Singleton
Ellie Cane, Individual Giving Officer, said:
“We’re delighted to say that we are building on the previous success of this appeal by welcoming two new solicitor firms for Make a Will Month 2022. Martin Tolhurst in Ashford, and Stilwell & Singleton in Deal, Dover and Sandwich have joined us to help more people in east Kent get their Will made.”
One of the many lessons the COVID-19 pandemic has taught is the importance of being prepared for the unexpected, and part of this is ensuring you have a Will in place so you have the reassurance of knowing your wishes will be fulfilled after you’ve gone.
Ellie added: “I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all the firms that have supported Pilgrims over the last ten years by partnering with us for Make a Will Month, and encourage everyone in east Kent to take this chance to make or update their Will whilst supporting their local hospice.”
Your Will is such an important document and there can be no doubt it is worth doing it properly. Making an appointment with one of our experts is a great way to donate to a crucial local charity and receive something of significant benefit to you and your family in return.
Simon Crooks, Boys & Maughan Solicitors
There are seven solicitor firms taking part in Make a Will Month 2022:
Suggested donations are £150 for a straightforward single Will, or £250 for an uncomplicated double Will. Those taking part are also welcome to donate more if they choose. An additional charge will be agreed with the chosen solicitor for a more complex Will.
*Participating month may differ from firm to firm; please check with firms directly.
For more information, including a full list of participating solicitors and their contact details, visit pilgrimshospices.org/makeawill.
Please contact your preferred firm directly to make an appointment.
Each year, Pilgrims Hospices give care and comfort to over 2,500 people in east Kent who are coming to terms with an illness that sadly cannot be cured. The charity support patients to live life as well as possible until the very end, free from pain and distress.
30th June 2021
Making a Will is making a difference for hospice care
Wills specialists at Boys & Maughan have donated £21,800 to vital services at local Pilgrims Hospices following two successful Make a Will Months.
The firm’s offices in Canterbury, Broadstairs, Margate, Ramsgate and Birchington waived their usual charge for 108 individuals and couples who wished to make a will, instead donating their fees to Pilgrims Hospices.
The money was raised in two month-long campaigns, the first ending just before the first lockdown in March 2020 and the second in March this year. A number of local firms take part in Make a Will Month and Boys & Maughan’s grand total was confirmed by the hospice this week.
Sara Scriven, Individual Giving Manager at Pilgrims Hospices, said: “The sums Boys & Maughan has raised over the past two years are enough to fund a specialist palliative nurse here at Pilgrims for over seven months, so we are enormously grateful for these donations. Boys & Maughan’s private client team is held in high regard by the hospices and should be exceptionally proud.”
Staff at all our offices were delighted to take part in Wills Month once again this year.
Simon Crooks, Boys & Maughan
Simon Crooks, Partner at Boys & Maughan’s Canterbury Broad Street office, said: “Staff at all our offices were delighted to take part in Wills Month once again this year. Pilgrims Hospices is a charity that most people have had some experience of receiving support from and makes a huge contribution to the community.
“Talking to people who took part in the campaign, many of them said that they had been putting off the task of making their will and knowing that their donation would make a difference inspired them to take stock and plan ahead. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to all our clients who took part.”
The sums Boys & Maughan has raised over the past two years are enough to fund a specialist palliative nurse here at Pilgrims for over seven months.
Sara Scriven, Pilgrims Hospices
Boys and Maughan’s total for Make a Will Month 2021 was £9,350 from 46 wills and last year they raised £12,450 from 62 wills. 2021 was the eighth year in a row that the firm has taken part in the scheme and its will-writing team met with people from across east Kent who were keen to take up the opportunity.
Photo: (From left) Andrew Baker, Sara Scriven from Pilgrims Hospices, Kat Gray, Sarah Richards and Simon Crooks.
Pilgrims Hospices cares for more than 2,500 local people each year, free of charge, during the most challenging time in their lives. They offer care and support in people’s own homes, in the community and in their inpatient units as well as running a 24-hour advice line.
