CHESTER law firm SAS Daniels LLP and Marie Curie Cancer Care have joined forces to highlight the risks of not having a will.

It is estimated that only about a third of people in the UK have a will, risking their estate being distributed according to intestacy laws rather than to their wishes. To raise awareness, Marie Curie Cancer Care has launched a free will service in conjunction with SAS Daniels LLP at five of its offices, including Chester, where a complimentary afternoon tea was held to mark the start of the three-month partnership.

Attendees had the chance to put any queries to qualified legal advisers from SAS Daniels.

This service is available until August 15 and open to anyone over the age of 55, who is not an existing SAS Daniels client. Those who are eligible will be able to make or amend their existing will, free of charge.

Associate solicitor and head of the wills team, Bik-ki Wong organised the scheme with Judy Glossop, legacy adviser at Marie Curie Cancer Care.

Bik-ki said: “It’s really important to make a will, and a well-written one at that, to ensure that the people and organisations you wish to benefit from your estate do so and in the best possible way.”

Judy said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for people to make a will for the first time or review their existing one, free of charge, as well as learning more about the work of the Marie Curie Nursing Service in the area.”

Marie Curie offers care for terminally ill people in hospices and in the community, as well as providing support for families of patients. Last year Marie Curie nurses in Cheshire cared for over 200 patients and provided more than 10,000 hours of home nursing care.

There is no obligation to leave a gift to the charity but the hope is that many will use the scheme to settle their affairs and support Marie Curie’s work.

For more information, call Judy on 01476 578 353 or email willenquiry@sasdaniels.co.uk.