The Kitson and Trotman offices in Bridport, Lyme, and Beaminster, and Milford and Dormer in Axminster, will all lend their support to Will Aid, in trying to reduce the number of people who have no existing will.

Participating solicitors, instead of charging a fee, will request clients to consider making a voluntary donation to Will Aid, suggested at £95 for a single will or £150 for a pair of mirror wills.

The money raised is shared by nine UK charities, including Age UK, British Red Cross, Christian Aid NSPCC and Save the Children. According to research by Will Aid, more than half of UK adults (52 per cent) don’t have a will and so have not made any legally valid provision for what they would like to happen after their death to their belongings or loved ones.

Around one third of people who die each year do so without a will and their estate is therefore distributed according to a set of rules which cannot adequately cope with modern family circumstances.

Shirley Marsland, Will Aid campaign manager, said: “Will Aid is a fantastic opportunity to get an affordable will with one of our local solicitors.

“They are generously giving their time without any payment to help people look after their loved ones and, at the same time, to raise funds for very worthwhile causes.

“This is the perfect opportunity to have a solicitor draw up your will, protect your loved ones and give to charity at the same time.”

Research also suggest that of the people who have made a will almost 60 per cent have not revised it for more than five years, which could leave them out of date due to assets that will have been disposed of and new ones acquired, children and any named guardians growing older – whole families could have been re-configured.

Experts recommend reviewing a will every three to five years and making a new will as soon as significant family changes occur.

People named as executors may have died, beneficiaries may have moved and be difficult to trace, or family circumstances may have changed, which may have an impact on the content of the will or affect its validity.