Retired dairy farmers are urging Cheshire East residents to follow in their footsteps and get their wills sorted.

Mike and Pat Gorton, who ran their Over Alderley farm for 48 years, decided last year that they needed a new will.

The couple signed up to Will Month, run by East Cheshire Hospice throughout the month October.

Returning next month, the campaign sees solicitors waive their usual fees and, in return, ask supporters to make a fair donation to the charity.

Mike said: "The farm was hard work and long hours, but we wouldn't have changed a thing. We loved every minute of it.

"Our last will, drawn up as part of a mortgage deal a long time ago, was well out of date.

"It was at the back of our mind to do a new will, but there was always something else more important. Oh, I'll do it another time.

"We've had ill health in the family and that makes you think about inevitability, so it seemed an appropriate time.

"The fact it also helped the hospice was probably a trigger."

They contacted Moneybox Will and Trusts, who are participating in Will Month, which runs from October 1 to 31.

Estate Planning Solutions, Spall Clark, Vault Private Client and Rowlinsons Solicitors in Knutsford are the other solicitors taking part.

Mike continued: "It was incredibly easy. We rang up, got an appointment with Joe Etherington and he made it simple and straightforward the way he explained everything.

"There's a lot of legal jargon around these things, but he just swept all that away and asked us our wishes and aims.

"He broke it down into simple pieces we could understand. A will is important for the younger generation, but it's probably the older generation that should instigate it.

"It's a hard conversation for the next generation to bring up. It's much easier if we say we're going to do it."

The couple, who have a son, Rob, and daughter, Claire, have mirror wills.

Mike said: "Retirement is wonderful with some nice holidays. Retiring made us realise it was time to get things in order.

"Sorting out my parents' estate had been hard work. I didn't want that to be the same for our children.

"We also arranged power of attorney. There was no pressure to do that, but we felt we might as well get it done, making everything as easy as possible.

"It's best to get it done when everyone is fit and healthy."

To find out more, visit www.eastcheshirehospice.org.uk/campaigns/will-month/.

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