PEOPLE across Wirral are being invited to take part in Maggie's Centres' 'Write a Will Month'. 

This November people are asked to write or update their will for no fee for Maggie's, a charity which provides free practical, emotional and social support for people with cancer. 

The charity will be partnering with local solicitors including Kirwan's and Jackson Lees solicitors who will waive their will writing free next month.

Clients will be able to write or update their will for free by making a donation to one of the Maggie’s centres.

Wills can cost anything up to £150 for a basic will and Maggie’s Centres receives up to £1,000,000 from gifts left in wills each year.

Kathy Wright, centre head at Maggie’s Merseyside told the Globe: “We’re really pleased to be offering will writing in our Centre free of charge, with any donations that people choose to make being very gratefully received. Our Centre is warm and welcoming and a relaxed setting to speak to one of our great partner solicitors about estate planning.

"Maggie’s Merseyside is completely funded by donations, fundraising and gifts in wills, so schemes like this are so important to enable us to provide vital support to people affected by cancer in Merseyside.”

One person that took part in the scheme last year, by giving a donation and also a gift in her will, was centre visitor Jan Bentley.

Jan said: “As for most people cancer came like a bolt out of the blue to me.

"From presenting to my GP with the most mundane of symptoms to a few months later sitting in the waiting area at Clatterbridge Hospital ready for my first chemotherapy session, the whole thing had been a whirlwind.

"On entering Maggie’s I was immediately struck by the warmth of it.

"I was spotted as a newbie by one of the Maggie’s team who came over to show me around and make sure I felt welcome.

"When I was eventually declared in remission, I was left feeling vulnerable and afraid.

"My cancer isn't curable and there was a strong chance it would return. And then... there was Maggie’s.

"My partner and I had recently married and were preparing to up-date our wills anyway, when we heard about the will writing service that would also enable us to donate to Maggie’s.

"We made an appointment and were able to hold a preliminary meeting with one of the visiting solicitors on site at Maggie’s, which made the whole experience so much easier to deal with.

"I wouldn’t just ask others to consider supporting Maggie’s in this way, I would urge them to do so.

"It’s such a brilliant service that takes all the stress out of an emotionally charged situation. Staff are hugely sympathetic to their clients’ particular situation and meetings can be held in less formal surroundings than a solicitor’s office.

"Maggie’s relies on charitable donations, as do so many cancer-related charities, but this place is unique and so vital in its selfless generosity, by providing a safe haven and timely escapes from intrusive medical interventions, that might otherwise remove us completely from the day-to-day familiarity of those treasured everyday comforts.”

Appointments are available at the Centre located next to Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, on the following days: Friday November 9 until 3pm, Tuesday November 13 1pm to 5pm, Friday November 16 all day, Tuesday November 20 1pm to 5pm, Friday November 23 until 3pm, Tuesday November 27 1pm to 5pm.

All day home visits and appointments at Maggie's partner’s offices are also available.

To find out more or to book an appointment call 0151 334 4301 or email Liverpool@maggiescentres.org