St Luke's Hospice receives £3,375 funding boost from Banner Jones

Banner Jones has provided £3,375 in funding to St Luke's Hospice, helping the charity continue delivering specialist care and support to people living with terminal illnesses across Sheffield.

Tina Fisher and Aimee Gill from the firm's Wills team, which advises clients on later-life planning, including the preparation of Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs) - which help people plan ahead by enabling them to appoint someone they trust to make important decisions on their behalf if needed - presented the cheque to the charity following the firm's annual Will Month initiative.

This year's campaign comes as St Luke's celebrates its 55th anniversary, marking more than five decades of providing compassionate end of life care and support for patients and their families across Sheffield.

Each year, St Luke's partners with local law firms to offer professionally prepared or updated wills in return for a suggested contribution to the hospice. Since the initiative launched in 2011, almost 2,000 wills have been written through the scheme, raising more than £222,000 to help fund patient care.

The charity supports around 1,800 patients every year, as well as thousands of family members and carers. Its services range from specialist inpatient care and community nursing to bereavement support and social prescribing, helping people live as well as possible with terminal illness.

With only around a quarter of its £15 million annual running costs funded by the NHS, St Luke's must raise more than £11 million every year to continue delivering its services. Gifts in Wills already fund the care of one in five patients, making initiatives such as Will Month an important source of long-term support.

Kathryn Wheeldon, Head of Wills and Probate at Banner Jones, said: "Will Month gives people the opportunity to put important plans in place for the future while also supporting a charity that provides such vital care to people in our community.

We know how important it is for people to have an up-to-date will, so it's a privilege to be able to use our expertise in a way that also benefits St Luke's. This is the 3rd year we have taken part in the campaign, and we're pleased to continue supporting the hospice and the incredible work it does for local patients and their families."

Jess Nicholson, Corporate Fundraiser from St Luke's Hospice, said: "As we celebrate our 55th anniversary, we're incredibly grateful for the continued backing of local businesses such as Banner Jones. Their involvement in Will Month not only raises vital funds but also helps introduce more people to the lasting difference a gift in a will can make.

With demand for our services continuing to grow and the majority of our funding coming from the generosity of our local community, partnerships like this are essential in helping us be there for patients and families when they need us most."

Banner Jones is a Legal 500-listed law firm providing legal advice to individuals and businesses across South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and North Derbyshire. Its specialist teams advise on a wide range of matters, including Family Law, Wills and Probate, Residential Property and Dispute Resolution.

(Pictured L to R: Will writers, Aimee Gill and Tina Fisher from Banner Jones Solicitors at St Luke’s Hospice)