General

We need your help! Will to Give would like to understand more about why people choose to support a specific charity or charities. We would like to speak to people who support one of our member charities which are listed here. We'd love to hear your individual story of support, how you first became aware of the charity and your reasons for supporting it, how you support it e.g. volunteering, taking part in fundraising events, regular donations or leaving a gift in your Will and how you plan to continue supporting it. You can share your stories in a number of [...]

Our lives have changed in so many different ways, our daily routines are out the window and for many people planned fundraising events and activities for their chosen charities have been cancelled or postponed. But, the good news is that you can still support your chosen charity even during 'lockdown'. Donate to your favourite charity's crisis appeal Many charities have launched crisis appeals during the coronavirus pandemic.For some these are to help make up the shortfall of funds lost as grant funds are paused, fundraising by businesses has stopped and their charity shops have closed.For others, this is to create new [...]

From the 31st March, Blood Cancer UK is the new name for Bloodwise. The change follows a year-long discussion with their community about how they could reach more people affected by blood cancer and represents a new opportunity for the Will to Give member to do this. This discussion included meetings with supporters across the UK, and online sessions for people who couldn’t be there in person. They also met with people affected by blood cancer who don’t know anything about the charity and asked them what they think. Right from the beginning, lots of people in their own community told [...]

Action Mental Health, Will to Give member is delighted to announce that its merger with New Life Counselling takes effect today. This welcome news is recognition by the Boards of AMH and NLC that by combining resources, services and expertise, there is a better chance of developing and sustaining mental health support for local communities in these challenging times. Going forward, the AMH Board is determined to tackle the disparity of support between physical and mental health services and this development is a mark of its commitment to ‘Taking Action on Mental Health’. The new partnership takes full effect from today, [...]

The Northern Ireland that we know and love has become unrecognisable in a matter of weeks. Nobody remains untouched by the Coronavirus pandemic. We’re all scrambling to get used to new ways of working, new ways of schooling, new ways of shopping, new ways of exercising, new ways of just getting through each day and trying to hold on to hope and positivity that this time will come to an end. But at what cost? Lives lost, families changed forever, businesses closed, increased levels of poor mental & physical health are a certainty. Our Will to Give member charities are also [...]

In a statement released by Will to Give member, Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke, the Northern Ireland charity reassured it's service users that they are still there for the people that need them. 'Our friends, family and neighbours with chest, heart and stroke conditions are some of the most at risk from COVID-19. 1,200 local people rely on our services every week. We have had to suspend our face-to-face services, but we are still here for you, as we have been for the past 74 years. Our care team is working tirelessly to continue supporting everyone who needs us. We [...]

Being asked to be the Executor of someone's Will can be a bit scary, especially if you’ve never done it before. It's important that you fully understand your responsibilities before you accept this important role. The executor is someone named in a Will as taking legal responsibility for carrying out the instructions left in the Will by the deceased regarding their estate. It's very likely that it will be many years before you have to fulfill your role but even so, you should make yourself aware of what is involved. Being the Executor of a Will can take up a lot [...]

At our recent Digital Death event with Steph Nimmo, we talked about the importance of writing or updating our Will. We also discussed the importance of having open and honest conversations about your wishes and your plans with family and friends. It's never going to be easy to talk about dying. But, by having these difficult conversations now, instead of at a time of crisis it can save a huge amount of heartache. If you want to talk to your family or friends about what you would like to happen after you die or perhaps you're interested in what their wishes [...]

Managing your affairs and enduring power of attorney... A time may come when you are no longer capable of managing your property or financial affairs. You will need someone to do this for you. You can appoint someone to hold a Power of Attorney that will allow them to act on your behalf. This can be a friend, relative or even a professional. What is a Power of Attorney? A Power of Attorney is actually a legal document. It gives someone else the authority to take actions or make decisions on your behalf. You choose a person or people to deal [...]

I’m mum to two young boys aged 9 and 10. When my eldest son was very little it soon became apparent that something wasn’t quite right. From global developmental delay to profound and multiple learning difficulties, from no diagnosis to a diagnosis of an ultra-rare genetic condition, our lives have not followed the path wed expected it would. Being parents to a child with life-long disabilities brings with it its own challenges and responsibilities. The most difficult to comprehend is the fact that he will probably still be here requiring the same level of care when we aren’t. And although hard [...]