Lancaster wills company donates thousands to help local community groups making a difference

A Lancaster will writing company has donated thousands to help local organisations through its first ever Community Fund - to celebrate the vital work they do.

Morecambe Bay Wills & Estates launched its Community Fund earlier this year to support small, grassroots groups making a meaningful difference in their local communities

Now 30 organisations across North Lancashire, South Cumbria and North Wales have each received a £250 donation - making a total of £7500 distributed.

After receiving hundreds of nominations, the team selected the 30 recipients through a series of community draws held in October.

Over recent weeks, staff from Morecambe Bay Wills have been personally delivering the donations, meeting the people behind the projects and celebrating the work being done across the region.

In North Lancashire, donations were presented to groups such as St John’s Hospice (below), The Friendship Centre, The Clubhouse Morecambe (Mencap), Four Seasons Allotments, Ludus Dance, Wyre Juniors Football Club, Morecambe Youth Darts, and artist Shadow Gallery, who will be creating a new public mural using paints purchased via the fund.

In South Cumbria, recipients included Space2Create, Age UK North Cumbria, HP Activities, Kentmere Community Choir, and St Martin and St Mary C of E Primary School Gardening Club, among others.

In North Wales, the team presented donations to organisations such as Dave’s Defibs, Conwy Mind, Ysgol Y Plas Community Garden, Rhos Methodist Playgroup, and Friends of Llanellian, all working to improve wellbeing, safety and community connection.

Lisa Parker, Community Fundraising Manager at St John’s Hospice, said: “We are so grateful to Morecambe Bay Wills and Estates for their kind donation.

"Without the support of our wonderful community and local businesses, we simply wouldn’t be able to continue to care for our patients and families when they need us the most. Every donation really does make a difference.

“St John’s Hospice celebrates its 40th year in 2026, and partnerships such as this are what will help carry us through the next 40 years.”

The full list of winners in North Lancashire were:

The Clubhouse Morecambe (Mencap) – helping replace their much-loved bingo machine, keeping members connected and entertained.

St John’s Hospice – supporting families and patients through specialist palliative care.

The Laura West Memorial Fund for Cardiac Risk in the Young – funding life-saving heart screening days for 14–35-year-olds across the Bay area.

The Friendship Centre, Lancaster – helping launch a new ukulele group for older members.

Four Seasons Allotments, Heysham – creating a safer, more accessible entrance for gardeners and families.

The Shadow Gallery Tattoo Studio, Morecambe – supporting a new community mural project to bring colour and creativity to the town

Wyre Juniors Football Club, Preesall – supporting over 200 children across 17 teams during their 50th anniversary year.

Friends of Lapwing Fields Green Space, Slyne – preserving local green space and heritage for future generations.

Heysham Community Pre-School – helping fund day-to-day running costs and resources.

Adullam – offering friendship, skills and support for people facing isolation or mental-health challenges.

Poulton Gala Committee – helping deliver a safe, family-friendly Bonfire Night event.

Footsteps – enhancing outdoor play facilities for children aged 5–11

Westgate Cricket Club – buying junior helmets to keep young players safe as they progress to hardball cricket.

Ready Aim Succeed Coaching (Aimee Heaton) – providing a free trauma-informed workshop for women facing financial hardship.

The Growing Club, Lancaster – offering free places for women to attend confidence-building and wellbeing programmes.

Morecambe Youth Darts – supporting 14 young players with new equipment and coaching opportunities.

Animal Care, Lancaster, Morecambe & District – funding creative materials for children’s nature workshops.

Ludus Dance – enabling dance and creative workshops for children aged 2–14, including outreach in schools.

Below, Andrea Bentham from Morecambe Bay Wills & Estates with the team from The Growing Club in Lancaster

Nicola Combe, founder of Morecambe Bay Wills & Estates, said: “Hand-delivering these donations has been both humbling and inspiring. Every cheque represents people - volunteers, carers, children, families - who are improving their communities every single day.

"This fund is our way of saying thank you. Our clients make this possible, and we’re proud to reinvest part of our success directly back into the places we live and work.”

The fund is entirely self-financed by Morecambe Bay Wills & Estates as part of its long-term commitment to community wellbeing and social impact.

Read more: Lancaster wills firm launches £7500 community fund to help worthy causes - Beyond Radio