About Rebecca Collett

I trained as a Professional Will Writer after being asked to draft a will for a friend, three days before she died. My friend Helen knew she did not have long and I had popped over to check if she needed her flat tidied and cleaned before the Priest came to do the Last Anointing blessing. She said that someone else was cleaning, but could I please write her Will. She asked me because I have a degree in law and was once a Solicitor.

Helen's Will made a vast difference as to how her money was to be distributed. Without it the money would have gone to distant, estranged relatives. With the Will, Helen was able to give to her favorite charities and to friends. The Will was successfully completed in time. I am her Executor, that is the person who sorts out everything after a person dies. This has proved to be so eye opening, as to the amount of work involved and the extent to which decisions are made on another's behalf; if they are not specifically thought about and recorded before death. I realized that I could be of service to others by supporting the journey into planning what is to happen one dies. So that the people left are informed of wishes, feeling secure then that they have done what was wanted.

As well as Will Writing, I am forever increasing my knowledge about what else is important to put in place before incapacity or death. So I am also an end of life planner. Having a certificate in counselling has given me extra confidence in working with the sensitive issues around death.

Since my years in law in my 20s I have studied theology, been a Steiner and a maths teacher, I am also a mum. I still teach part time. I live in beautiful Buckfastleigh, Devon and have done for many, many years now.