September is Wills Month – and Acorn Foundation, is encouraging Western Bay locals to make sure their wills are up to date and to think about the kind of legacy they’d like to leave.

To mark the month, Acorn is partnering with 15 local law firms across the Western Bay of Plenty. These firms not only have a strong understanding of how Acorn works but are also generously offering free or discounted Wills when Acorn is named as a beneficiary. Their expertise and support make it simple for locals to include a lasting gift to their community.

During September, many of these lawyers are offering free or discounted Will services for clients who choose to include Acorn Foundation as a beneficiary. The law firms involved are:

• Anderson Law Office
• Beach Law Papamoa
• Burley Castle Hawkins Lawyers
• Cooney Lees Morgan
• Fenton McFadden
• Holland Beckett Law
• Kaimai Law – Bethlehem & Omokoroa
• Kaimai Law – Katikati
• Keam Standen Lawyers
• Sharp Tudhope Lawyers
• Toner Law
• Garth Mathieson Law
• J K Hamilton
• The Mount Lawyers
• Rejthar Stuart Law

Through Acorn’s Smarter Giving Model, gifts left in Wills are invested in perpetuity. The original gift remains intact, while a portion of the investment earnings is distributed every year to local charities, scholarship programmes, and community groups across the Western Bay of Plenty. When pooled with other gifts, even modest bequests grow into a powerful, ongoing source of local community support.

Campbell Higgins, Acorn Foundation’s Legacy Giving Manager, says: “We are incredibly grateful to be partnering with local law firms for Wills Month again this year. Their support for the foundation and willingness to work alongside generous local donors will enable us to continue giving back to our community for generations to come.”

This year’s Wills Month shines a spotlight on Adrienne Coad, a local Acorn donor who set up an endowment fund early so she could see the impact in her lifetime.

Adrienne Coad says: “When I was talking to Margot right at the beginning, she explained that you could either put it in your will so the money goes through to Acorn, or you could start funding while you’re still alive and make decisions about who you want to help. That really appealed to me because it meant I could see the impact straight away. Since I’ve done it, I absolutely love the feeling of being able to see what my money is doing and the difference it makes in the community.”

Since 2003, generous locals have enabled Acorn to distribute more than $25 million to hundreds of organisations in the region, supporting areas like youth development, conservation, health, education, and social services.

Take the Next Step

When you update your Will this September, ask your lawyer about adding the Acorn Foundation clause. It only takes a few minutes, and your legacy will last for generations.

You can also learn more and download the free Wills Month Information Pack at: https://www.acornfoundation.org.nz/news-and-resources-1/wills-month-2025

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