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Where there’s a Will there’s a way to help charity
Legacies, the gifts people leave to charity in their Wills, are a vital source of funding for many charities in the UK. Legacies can be left as a fixed sum of money, a percentage of the value of the estate or as an individual possession (such as land, property, paintings or shares), and there may be tax planning benefits to help offset inheritance tax bills. Gullands can advise on the best way to leave a legacy. Gullands has recently been working with two charities – Cancer Research UK and the Heart of Kent Hospice and
has taken part in Will writing initiatives with them.
Cancer Research UK
Since joining the Cancer Research UK Free Will Service in 2002, Gullands’ clients have pledged an incredibly generous £204,839 to the charity, with the highest single pledge being around £100,000. In partnership with Cancer Research UK, Gullands can help anyone aged over 55 years old write or update a simple Will. Those using the service often choose to leave a gift to Cancer Research UK to ensure they continue to help the fight against cancer after they’re gone.
Gina Fryer, Free Will Service Manager at Cancer Research UK, comments: “Our hope is that charitable pledging becomes more prevalent, so that eventually all people will consider leaving something to a charity close to their heart in their Will. Legacies are vital to Cancer Research UK and fund about a third of our life-saving research. Without these gifts we would simply not be where we are today with the advances we have made in cancer research. We are very grateful to Gullands for promoting this to clients, along with our Free Will Service, for over a decade.”
Heart of Kent Hospice
During September, Gullands held a special Will writing month for the Heart of Kent Hospice and provided six Wills at half price for those wishing to leave a donation or a gift to the charity. The legacies provide a vital source of funding for the charity, which provides specialist end of life care for patients and their families in Maidstone and the surrounding areas.
Moira Mitchell, Business Partnerships Manager at the Heart of Kent Hospice, commented: “We are really grateful to Gullands Solicitors for their support. The legacies left in the Wills will make a real difference in helping us continue our work.”
Alex Astley, head of Gullands’ Private Client team, comments: “An increasing number of charities rely heavily on gifts and leaving a legacy in your Will can ensure that charities like Cancer Research UK and the Heart of Kent Hospice receive the funding they need. Having a properly drafted and up-to-date Will in place is the only way to ensure that your wishes are fulfilled and that your assets are passed to the right people.”
For more information and advice concerning Wills and leaving a legacy, Alex Astley can be reached at a.astley@gullands.com
