Gold Coast Temple stages extra Wills Day to meet demand
By CLIFF WORTHING
The demand for the Salvos’ Community Wills Day was so strong that the Gold Coast Temple requested an additional session this year. It was held on 22 February, but the corps will still host its regular Wills Days in August and November.
As usual, bookings started within hours of the day being advertised and sold out quickly.
Writing even a basic will can be expensive, so the Salvos and law firm Attwood Marshall teamed up to deliver affordable wills for the Gold Coast community.
“It’s a classic win, win for everyone,” said Tony Welsh, Relationships Manager Bequests Queensland. “The community receive a family will at an affordable price, the participating law firm often receive additional work from the contacts, and the Salvos raise significant funds from the wills and bequests to fund our social programs.”
Fairhaven, the Salvos Gold Coast Recovery Services, benefited from the November 2022 Wills Day, and the February Wills Day supported the Doorways program on the Gold Coast.
The community pays $100 for a single person and $150 for a couple, with those funds going to the Corps Doorways programs. Lawyers write the wills pro-bono (free of charge), so they can only prepare simple wills on the day.
Tony explained that in addition to the wills, about 15 per cent of people nationwide bequest all or part of their estate to The Salvation Army. He said bequests could be a financial donation or goods such as furniture.
The Salvos organise Community Wills Days throughout Australia every year, hosted by local corps.
For people wishing to prepare a will, or leave a bequest to The Salvation Army, follow the link below to see scheduled Community Wills Days throughout Australia, make a booking, and access information about them. Solicitors who wish to support the preparation of wills through The Salvation Army can also access information on the link.
