SPECIALIST lawyers at a Worcestershire legal firm have raised nearly £4,000 for a local hospice.

Lawyers from Mfg Solicitors, which has an office in The Tything and in Kidderminster, have raised £3,695 for St Richard's Hospice as part of a will writing scheme.

Mfg Solicitors offered their services for free in support of the hospice's Write a Will Month, an initiative aimed at encouraging people to plan for the future.

It is the sixth time the firm has run the event in support of the city charity. Since 2012 the solicitors have raised almost £19,000 to help the hospice continue their work across the county.

The hospice was established in 1984 and cares for patients and families in Worcestershire who are living with life limiting illnesses.

Each year the hospice gives free care and support to around 3,000 patients, loved ones and the bereaved. Donations are vital to the hospice as it costs over £8m every year to run its full programme of services.

Amanda Piper, an associate and head of mfg’s Elderly Care and Court of Protection team, said: “To have another wonderful response to the write a will month this year and to raise a great amount for one of the area’s most loved charities was fantastic.

“Every year, write a will month is such a hugely popular initiative with people across Worcester and the surrounding area.

"It gives them the rare opportunity to have their will professionally prepared for a discounted cost.”

St Richard’s Hospice's is currently running the Build2020 appeal asking the community to help raise the final £1.4million needed to create a bigger building at its home in Wildwood Drive, Worcester.

The planned new facilities would feature larger rooms suitable for exercise based groups, a specialist exercise studio with programmes designed by physiotherapists, counselling rooms, an open art studio and music and horticultural therapy rooms.

For more on the appeal visit strichards.org.uk/build2020.