Entries open for Legacy Futures Awards

[IN JANUARY entries opened for the Legacy Futures Awards 2022. The awards, launched last year, comprise three separate categories: The Crispin Ellison Bursary Award, The Legacy Future Leader Award and The Legacy Futures Innovation Award.

Announcing the opening of applications, Legacy Futures said: “We want to see charities around the world harness the transformative power of legacy giving. As part of our commitment, we have set up the Legacy Futures Awards, aiming to invest in the future talent that will take our sector forward.”

The three award categories will be judged by a panel of senior figures from across the legacy and in-memory sector, with at least two judges assessing each scheme. The identity of the judges will not be disclosed until after the award winners have been announced.

The Crispin Ellison Bursary Award has been in existence since 2016. It is named in memory of former Legacy Link director Crispin Ellison, whose career was dedicated to advancing professional knowledge in the legacy sector. The bursary is open to applicants from the UK, who are looking to further their professional development in the area of legacy administration and management.

Two winners will receive a training package from the Institute of Legacy Management. It will cover the cost of attaining the Certificate in Charity Legacy Administration, worth £1000, or £500 towards other ILM training.

The Legacy Futures Innovation Award is open to any organisation that is looking to innovate in the area of legacy or inmemory giving and create a big impact. They may be looking to solve a particular challenge, reach a new audience or develop a new product.

The award winner will receive consultancy support from Legacy Voice, who will deliver a design thinking workshop to bring the idea to life. The judges will be looking for ideas that not only benefit the organisation itself, but also the wider sector, and Legacy Futures will work together to share the results.

The award is open to any charity or not-for-profit organisation in the UK, Europe, North America and Australia.

The Legacy Future Leader Award is designed to invest in a future legacy leader through Legacy Futures’ exclusive mentoring programme. Applicants must be new to a legacy or in-memory giving role – within the past 36 months – and looking to develop their passion into a career.

Three people will be awarded the opportunity to engage with experts from Legacy Futures over a period of six months through group mentoring. Applications are welcomed from the UK, Europe, North America and Australia.

Application forms are available on the Legacy Futures website at legacyfutures.com/legacy-futures-awards-2022/. They must be received by 5pm on 31 March. q

[THIS QUOTE FROM Kate sums up the value of the work undertaken by the Youth Cancer Trust. The organisation provides free therapeutic activity holidays for teenagers and young adults – those aged between 14 and 30 – from the UK and Ireland who are suffering from cancer.

Cancer can tear a patient’s world apart, and at an age where everyone else seems to be moving on with their lives – with university, relationships and careers – the diagnosis of cancer can bring all of that to a halt.

The Youth Cancer Trust helps reduce the sense of loneliness, which often accompanies long stays in hospital and time off school. Long term friendships are formed and families are given a much deserved break, knowing their child is having fun and being looked after.

The charity receives no government funding and relies entirely on donations, such as those from legacies, to help support the needs of young cancer patients like Kate. q • For more information visit www.youthcancertrust.org.

[ESTABLISHED IN 2001, the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary – known, appropriately, as S.O.S. – operates a comprehensive facility for the rescue, care and rehabilitation of owls across East Anglia. It also promotes the need for the conservation of endangered owl species throughout the UK with its Saving Britain's Owls initiative.

The S.O.S. owl and raptor hospital at Stonham Aspal is unique in the region. It is specially equipped for the care and treatment of the many injured wild owls and other birds of prey it receives every year as a result of road traffic accidents, mishaps, starvation, trauma, disease, poisoning and sometimes even shooting or trapping.

Many of the birds can be given a recuperative, short-term pick-me-up before being re-released into the wild. Those that are more seriously injured but stand a chance of recovery are given medical aid and/or surgery, as determined by their vet. The birds are then allowed space and time to fully recuperate in one of the secluded recovery aviaries, before being carefully returned to the wild.

S.O.S. is regenerating its wild owl nest box scheme that includes building, locating and curating long-lasting, environmentally-friendly nest boxes in appropriate locations to replace the gradual erosion of natural nesting sites.

S.O.S. is funded purely by donations, and as a small charity the legacies it receives play an important role in enabling it to continue developing its resources in the interests of conserving owl and other bird of prey wildlife in the UK. q

[LEGACIES MEAN SO much to the team at Last Chance Animal Rescue. These wonderful gifts have helped them to rescue, rehabilitate and re-home so many abandoned, abused and unwanted dogs, puppies, cats, kittens, rabbits and guinea pigs who otherwise would have had no future.

The charity understand the wishes of its kind benefactors who have considered them in their Wills. A spokesperson said: “We know they want their generous gift to us to be used directly to save lives, provide the very best of care and to find loving homes.

“Legacies really do provide the gift of life and Last Chance Animal Rescue can now, after much planning and prudent use of funds, offer our life saving services to so many more needy pets. We are delighted to announce we now have a second rescue and re-homing centre in Kent, giving hope and a true last chance to so many.

“Sadly we cannot thank those who have enabled this wonderful achievement but are extremely grateful to all those who are currently considering helping us now and in the future to continue our work.” q