29 Jun Trust in charities and Will-writing with the Goodwill Partnership
Whilst it would be safe to assume that recent events have overridden other news, anybody in the charity sector couldn’t help but feel downhearted at yesterday’s news from the Charity Commission that ‘trust in charities is at record low’.
It’s not our place to pass judgement on this, not least because we know how committed, passionate and caring people working in the charity sector truly are. The headlines certainly don’t reflect what we see day to day, that’s for sure. Our charity partners are simply an inspiration.
However, there’s no question that public trust in fundraising has been dented by a string of scandals which have not been helped by a salacious media. That’s not to blame the media either, they’ve just amped up the volume of what is a difficult issue of public trust over recent years.
That’s why it’s important we reassure our charity partners, organisations and people taking out wills with The Goodwill Partnership that we adhere to the most rigorous ethical standards. This is particularly important with Will-writing. Indeed, it’s a key reason why all our Wills are solicitor-written – they have to be legally watertight and ethically sound.
A central tenet of our Will-writing service is the principle of not exerting ‘undue influence’. What this means is that if a charity offers our Will-writing services to its supporters, we do not exert undue influence over a person’s decision to leave a legacy or not – whether to a charity, family member or any other cause. Any decision to leave a legacy is 100% their own personal decision.
Because of this strict adherence to ethical standards, we believe that solicitor-written Wills are an important way for charities to generate legacy income (whilst at the same time helping to restore trust in their fundraising initiatives). With no pressure exerted and no undue influence, people can choose whether to leave a legacy or not in complete freedom, all within the comfort of their own homes.
It’s a core reason for why we’ve been so successful since our inception in 2009. By working closely with our charity partners and ensuring we adhere to strict best practice, we’ve been able to generate significant funds whist simultaneously playing our part in helping to restore confidence in charities’ fundraising campaigns.
If you’d like to know more, please contact us at info@thegoodwillpartnership.co.uk or call 01492 437 005 – we’d be delighted to hear from you.