Member Article

Kate Garraway to host sixth annual Probate Industry Awards

Broadcaster Kate Garraway will host the sixth annual Probate Industry Awards on 18 April 2024, in the ballroom of 8 Northumberland Avenue, London.  Affectionately known as ‘The Probies’, the Awards recognises and awards outstanding examples of work across forensic genealogy, probate law and the myriad of service providers contributing to the industry.  

New categories and largest Probies to date

Originating as the UK’s first dedicated awards to probate research in 2019, the Probies now features new categories including best probate lawyer of the year, estate planning team, will writer, technology provider, probate property provider, and best contentious probate advisor, among others.  Delegate and entrant numbers are up 30 and 40 per cent respectively on last year’s event.

Renowned for stories of human interest

Backed by an independent judging panel comprising solicitors, regulators and credible industry voices, the Probies’ have mostly come to be known for bringing to light incredible and poignant stories of human interest about intergeneration wealth, family, society and life.

Contributions to local authorities

The 2024 Awards will pay particular focus on the efforts of solicitors and heir hunters that have provided an invaluable service to local authorities – often the largest proportion of probate cases, nationally.

Kate Garraway at the helm

A first for the Probies, esteemed broadcaster Kate Garraway will host the Probies. With a career spanning more than 30 years, Kate has become an integral part of the British broadcasting landscape from her early days at ITV News Central to her roles at ITV News Meridian, the BBC 24-hour News Channel, and Sky News Sunrise. Her transition to morning television, hosting GMTV and later becoming one of the main hosts on Good Morning Britain, solidifies her status as a trusted and respected voice across the UK media.

Geoffrey Odds, company secretary of the International Association of Professional Probate Researchers and Genealogists (IAPPR) commented: “After six years, the Probies now represent the full gamut of the industry, from international probate firms to will writers to household clearance specialists, and numerous service providers supporting solicitors and heir hunters and councils – a crucial and vibrant industry which is little understood by the public.”

Created by Meerkat PR the public relations firm, in recognition of the role probate research plays in generating stories of national interest, The Probies is sponsored by Probate.Auction, the UK’s first auctioneer dedicated to selling probate properties for estates and beneficiaries in addition to Finders International, the global heir hunting firm with a regular presence on BBC’s Heir Hunters.

Creator of the Probies in 2019, and founding director of Meerkat PR, the national press specialist PR agency, David Stoch, commented:  “Beyond recognising excellent examples of work coming out of industry, the Probies’ biggest impact as an initiative is bringing to light incredible stories about society that would never otherwise be shared in the public domain.  This raises the profile of a little understood adjunct to the legal industry into one in which everyone can be interested.”

 

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by David Stoch .