Macmillan appoints Calacus to run national legacy giving campaign
LONDON, December 12, 2013 – Macmillan Cancer Support has appointed Calacus to run a national campaign to encourage more people to leave charity donations in their wills.
Macmillan wants to raise awareness of the importance of gifts in wills in funding their work as well as their newly launched discounted will writing service to encourage more people to consider supporting the charity in this way.
While more than 70 per cent of people in the UK give to charity, fewer than a tenth of these then leave money to charity in their wills..
Helen Eddleston, Legacy Manager at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “One of our key challenges is to raise awareness of gifts in wills as another way people can support our work.
“The gifts Macmillan Cancer Support receives from people in their wills are both vital and invaluable in helping us to ensure no one has to face cancer alone. They make up a third of all of our income – no matter what size, every legacy helps Macmillan provide vital support to people affected by cancer.
“We have decided to work with Calacus because we are confident they will help us to create talkability and quality conversations around legacies and will-writing, which can often be seen as a ‘taboo’ subject.”
Calacus Managing Director David Alexander said: “There is a saying that ‘there is nothing certain in life apart from death and taxes’ and while encouraging people to think about their own mortality is something of a taboo, legacy gifting is such an important source of revenue for charities.
“Legacy gifting has tax advantages as well as helping to support the vital work that Macmillan Cancer Support undertakes to help those affected by cancer in the UK and Calacus are tremendously excited to be supporting their vital work.”
Calacus won a competitive pitch involving two other agencies.
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
About Macmillan Cancer Support
Cancer is the toughest fight most of us will ever face. But you don’t have to go through it alone. The Macmillan team is with you every step of the way.
We are the nurses and therapists helping you through treatment. The experts on the end of the phone. The advisers telling you which benefits you’re entitled to. The volunteers giving you a hand with the everyday things. The campaigners improving cancer care. The fundraisers who make it all possible.
Over a third of the services we provide are made possible through the generous support provided by people leaving us a gift in their will.
We turn every legacy we receive into vital support for families living with cancer and without these precious gifts we wouldn’t be able to support as many families as we do today, let alone all those who need our support in the future.
We are Macmillan Cancer Support.
People wishing to find out more about Macmillan’s Legacy services should call 0800 107 4448 or visit www.macmillan.org.uk/legacies
For media inquiries please contact:
David Alexander, Calacus PR on 07802-412424 or david.alexander@calacus.com
Aby Hawker, Calacus PR on 07795-593706 or aby.hawker@calacus.com
Kourtney Shaw, Calacus PR on 07731-769269 or kourtney.shaw@calacus.com
Gemma Mejer, Calacus PR on 07730-766195 or gemma.mejer@calacus.com