Have you spent your life supporting people in need? A gift in your will can help charities like RISE continue to do what matters to you, after your death and in April, it’s easier than ever to set it up.
Community Wills Sussex is a fantastic local initiative that gives you the chance to have your will made for FREE, by including a legacy gift to a local charity. RISE is proud to be one of the five Charity Partners for this initiative, which has been brought to life with Britton and Time Solicitors. So successful has this partnership been that Britton and Time have been shortlisted in two categories for the Smee & Ford Legacy Giving Awards 2024 on the 18th of April - ‘Best legal partner to the legacy sector’ and ‘Best start-up legacy program’. Wish them luck.
Never heard the term Legacy Gift?
Legacy gifts, or charitable gifts, are a type of charitable contribution that you can make in your Will – they are a donation you make from either cash you have in the bank, or the cash raised by selling anything you leave behind after you die. They allow you to make a lasting impact on a cause that you care about, even if you are no longer around. They can even help to reduce your estate’s overall inheritance tax liabilities.
Legacy Gifts are vital to charities like RISE. They are what we call ‘unrestricted income’ and this means we can use the funds as we see fit, to suit current or new needs and to fill gaps in our service. Most charity income is from grants or contracts, and these must be spent in accordance with a plan and agreement. This is type of funding can’t be switched to another use, even in emergencies or (for example) in the face of funding cuts. Unrestricted income has no agreement, no plan and gives us flexibility to respond with the right support at the right time.
RISE has recently received a legacy gift and a donation in memory of a person. These totalled over £8000 - this could pay for over 170 counselling sessions and is a huge amount of money for us. It really helps us be there for those people fleeing domestic abuse, when they need us.
Why make a Will?
Did you know that if you have no Will when you die, this is called dying ‘intestate’? In certain cases, perhaps where there are no living blood relatives, the entire estate (everything owned by the person) might be inherited by the state.
A Will ensures that YOUR wishes are honoured, and YOUR values and passions live on after you. It can give you peace of mind knowing that your plans are clear and formally set out, and it could help avoid family disputes or legal battles. A Will also makes it easier for those left behind – they won’t have to second guess what you wanted at an already difficult time for them.
How does it work?
Very simply – contact the team and they will help you through it.
The scheme operates twice a year – April and November - and is open to anyone over the age of 55. It gives you the chance to have a Will written for free in exchange for a legacy gift to one or more of the local charity partners.
The values of a Legacy Gift can be set in many different ways – either as a set figure or a percentage of what’s left after other inheritances are given out. Leaving a gift to us won’t mean your family miss out – it will share the impact of your life across your local community, as well as your closest loved ones.
We know that times are hard. It might not feel possible to support charities in your day-to-day life anymore. But a gift after you’re gone can and will help change and save lives.
We thank you in advance for anything you feel able to leave to RISE.
Find out more about the scheme on the dedicated website here
Email the team for information - [email protected]
Call to speak to someone - 0203 007 5500
