Marine charity raises profile of ‘Make a Will Month’
A leading UK marine charity is encouraging UK citizens to remember their favourite charities in their wills during November as part of national ‘Make a Will Month’.
Just 40 percent of people currently have a will, and according to the 2012 Legacy Market Snapshot only seven per cent of UK citizens leave a gift to charity in their will.
Therefore the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners’ Royal Benevolent Society, which has been providing financial support to retired and incapacitated seafarers since 1839, believes that promoting this valuable source of income and increasing awareness of how easy it is to leave a legacy will benefit all charities and those who need their help.
The charity’s chief executive, Commodore Malcolm Williams, said they are “greatly indebted” to those who donate. “Legacy giving is very important to us, and in some years accounts for up to 20 per cent of our annual income. However, sadly for a maritime nation, seafaring and benevolence now has a lower profile than many other causes and it concerns us that many might not think to remember us, and the work that we do, in their wills,” he explained.
Although the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society is one of the UK’s smaller charities, its annual grant expenditure in the past year of £1.47 million allowed it to provide financial assistance in 2,542 cases of need, ensuring that many former mariners have an improved quality of life and peace of mind.
These cases ranged from replacing broken household items, to settling utility bill arrears, to providing mobility aids such as stair lifts and rent deposits for homeless fishermen.
Further information can be found by contacting the charity on 01243 789 329 or visiting the website.