You don’t have to go to extremes for charity

Gifts in Wills are the foundation of so many good causes in the UK.

I’ve heard first-hand how every gift, however small, really does make a big difference. I was speaking with Marie-Claire Dillon, the fundraising manager at a local charity called Reading Mencap the other day. She reminded me about the things that we all do to raise money for various charitable causes and that leaving a gift in your Will is pretty legendary.

Whilst there is of course nothing wrong with running a marathon, skydiving or bungee jumping to raise money for charity, I noted that whilst 74% of people in the United Kingdom support charity during their lifetime, only 6.3% leave charitable gifts. Quite an astounding statistic – wouldn’t you agree?

Marie-Claire told me about an interesting project which was funded and only made possible thanks to such a gift. For those of you who don’t know, the charity provides information, support and signposting to families and friends of local people with learning disabilities.

She told me that every month they receive around 275 enquiries through their helpline, which is run by an administrator funded through a gift in a Will. Their helpline service underpins work across all service areas. As a result of this gift, the charity is able to apply its non-judgmental, sympathetic and practical approach to supporting families so they no longer feel alone or misunderstood. Isn’t that great!

Including a charitable gift in your Will is ever so easy and costs surprisingly little. Why not speak to your local solicitor if it’s something you feel passionate about – they can guide you through the process.

As I say, marathon running, skydiving or bungee jumping are all fantastic ways to raise money for charity. But you don’t actually have to go to extremes, I think that remembering a charity in your Will is a wonderful way to make your mark.

Find a local solicitor to help you with your Will. Karen Grimm, solicitor at Rowberry Morris Solicitors.