Write your will online or over the phone for FREE today

We all know that it’s important to write a will, but sometimes it’s difficult to get round to it particularly if you are a busy ecologist working in the field. That is why we are giving you the opportunity to write your will for free from your laptop or over the phone.

A student on the 16-18 summer school

After looking after your loved ones, we hope that you will consider remembering ecology in your FREE online or phone will. Leaving the British Ecological Society a gift can help inspire a new generation of ecologists and leave a legacy that will mean the world. Together we are already making a difference. Caitlin Thomas, a final year Ecology and Conservation Biology student at Sheffield University, received one of our bursaries  This is what she said,

‘BES has changed my life by opening up new opportunities. They secured me a 6-month paid ecological consultancy placement which has helped me develop valuable skills that I can now take forward in my career. I could not have done any of this without financial support from BES.’

Our free wills service is delivered through our partnership with Farewill, the UK’s leading provider of online and phone wills and rated 5-stars on Trust Pilot. For legal reasons this offer is only available if you live in the United Kingdom.

Making your free online will in England and Wales

If you live in England or Wales, you can write your will online in 20 minutes. There is live expert help and the option to update it at any time without setting foot in a solicitor’s office. Simply  click on the blue ‘Write Your Free Online Will’  button below and enter the voucher code BES100 at checkout. You will receive your online will free of charge. The online will-writing service is not suitable if you:

  • are resident in Scotland or Northern Ireland
  • have adult dependents
  • own assets outside the UK.

If this applies to you just scroll down this page because our phone will-writing service can help.

WRITE your free ONLINE will

Please note, there is an annual charge of £10 which allows you to update your will at any time. You can cancel this at any time. If you tick the box during the will writing process that gives us permission for us to get in contact with you we will send  you a confirmation email and message of thanks. We will also update you  new developments on our work no more than twice a year.

If you need help or have any questions about completing your online will, please call the Farewill Hotline on 020 8050 2686, Monday – Sunday 09:00 to 19:00. The RRP of making a single will with Farewill is £100 and £140 for a joint will.  So it is a big saving.

Making your free will over the phone

If you are resident in Scotland or Northern Ireland  have assets outside the UK  or perhaps you would just prefer to have a conversation  with a Farewill expert you should use the phone service to claim your free will over the phone.  

  • You can complete an online form and the Farewill team will in touch to book an appointment: https://farewill.com/bes-phone
  • Alternatively, call Farewill on 020 8050 2686 to book in a telephone will appointment. You must notify the Farewill Customer Service team at the very start of the call that you are a supporter of the British Ecological Society and wish to take advantage of our free wills service. 

BOOK YOUR TELEPHONE will appointment

The impact of gifts in wills

In the past, gifts to the BES have made a significant impact.

The Jackson Legacy helped build accommodation in the Serengeti National Park for African ecologists undertaking long-term field work.

The Parkyn Legacy paid the travel expenses of 42 early-career ecologists from the developing world to attend the INTECOL conference in London, present their research and further their careers.

Our promise to you

Making a will is a critical step in ensuring your legacy. We understand that if you decide to remember BES in your will that your privacy must be respected at all times in a process that you control. We will never call you unless you request it. We will never ask you about your private affairs. We do not employ the services of external fundraising agencies. No part of any gift you make to the BES will ever be paid in commission to a fundraiser.  

You can also consider making a donation today if you wish to support our work or even leaving a  Lifetime Gift. All calls are confidential. We will never call you unless you ask us to. We will never ask how much you intend to leave to BES. We will never ask you to increase your gift if you have been generous enough to leave us one.

Thank you for supporting the next generation of ecologists.