Today marks my 10-year work anniversary at The Society of Will Writers. A decade. That’s almost a third of the time the SWW has existed, and, sorry to make some of you feel old(er), it’s also just under a third of my time on this planet so far. When you put it like that, it really puts things into perspective.
Back in 2016, I walked out of university with a degree in audio production but essentially no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I’d had a blast during my studies, but I wasn’t sure it was a career path I actually wanted to pursue. In desperate need of a job and a roof over my head, I threw my CV at absolutely everything.
On the recommendation of my girlfriend (now wife), I applied for what was advertised as a three-month, part-time graphic design internship here at the SWW.
My interview was with Brian McMillan and Tom Stansfield, and it was memorable, to say the least. To start with I turned up over an hour too early. Then, about halfway through, I mistakenly thought we’d finished, stood up and attempted to shake Brian’s hand, only to be told we weren’t actually finished yet and to sit back down. I was entirely convinced that if I hadn’t already blown it, that moment had guaranteed it.
But no, against the odds, I got a call that afternoon asking me to start the following week.
After about three weeks, that internship turned into a permanent position, and honestly, I’ve never looked back. Three weeks turned into three years, and in 2019, I moved up to become Marketing Director.
Then came June 2020. Slap-bang in the middle of the first COVID-19 lockdown, I became Managing Director under the most tragic circumstances following the loss of Brian. Taking the reins of the Society during a global crisis while grieving our founder was a monumental challenge, but we pulled together. Since then, it feels like I’ve blinked, and the subsequent six years have simply flown by.
I am a massive believer in what we do here. And the driving reason for that goes back to August 2016, when I lost my dad to cancer. He died intestate. Dealing with that loss, even within a fairly straightforward family setup like ours, was incredibly tough. To be honest, I don’t think I properly dealt with the grief at the time. When we should have been taking the time to process our loss as a family, we were instead left trying to sort out the admin and the mess that a sudden passing without a will leaves behind.
That experience is exactly what drives me. While ten years feels like a milestone, frankly, it’s nothing compared to how many more years I’m going to throw myself at this cause. My focus remains entirely on ensuring that the public sees the real sense in having a will, expertly crafted by a professional who knows, without question, what they are doing.
I love my job. I love this place, the people, the experiences, and ultimately, the immense satisfaction of knowing I’m doing my part by leading an organisation that does some serious good in the world.
I get up every day looking forward to what lies ahead. My approach has always been to face things head-on, get it done, and keep pushing forward. The day I can’t do that anymore is the day I step aside, but for now, I’ve got this.
I owe a huge debt of gratitude to so many people. Thank you to my team (both past and present), our members, our regional chairs, the PSB, our supporters, and our wider network. Thank you to anyone who has ever contributed positively to the SWW during my time here and anyone who has ever offered me their support. I couldn’t do it without you.
Here’s to the next decade and beyond.
Cheers,
Anthony Belcher
Managing Director
The Society of Will Writers and Estate Planning Practitioners
