Nun leaves £870,000 to Londoners

The Evening Standard  12/01/2007

BY PAUL CHESTON COURTS CORRESPONDENT

Needy Londoners are to benefit from an £870,000 windfall after a court upheld the final wishes of a Roman Catholic nun.

In her last days at Bart's Hospital in March 2003, Sister Joseph Harding executed a handwritten will giving all she had to the Diocese of Westminster 'to hold in trust for the black community of Hackney, Haringey, Islington and Tower Hamlets'.

Her estate, including a house in Stoke Newington, was worth £870,000. Her niece and nephews claimed the will was invalid and they should inherit everything because she died intestate.

Today Mr Justice Lewison rejected that - but also said the money should be held in charitable trusts which benefit not just the black community but all people who needed help irrespective of colour.

(c) 2007 Associated Newspapers. All rights reserved
Date: 12/01/2007
Publication: The Evening Standard