Hi Julie
I would always advocate building a relationship with friends and family. They could well be your warmest prospects, they are also your biggest risk in terms of negative PR and - frankly, it's the courteous thing to do.
How that relationship builds is up to both them and you of course - but the sooner the terrain is changed from legal to fundraising terminology, the better.
regards
Duncan Bell
freelance legacy strategy
On Fri, Jul 10, 2009 at 1:02 PM, <julie.tunnicliffe@...> wrote:
HiCan anyone help with a question about who and how to thank / acknowledge / recognise gifts in wills, where the executors include members of the family or friends as well as solicitors.Currently, it is my preference to write and thank the family/friend executor for the time and trouble they have taken in admninistering the will and the bequest, let them know the difference the gift makes (what it could fund) and invite them to look round the hospice. Other member sof the team feel difrerently and thinkwe should only acknowledge receipt of the bequest with the solicitor and not contact the family/friend at all.What happens at your charity, how well is that received and does it work for you?Thanks for your adviceJulie
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Duncan Bell
freelance legacy fundraising consultancy
07812 086 099