Charity begins at Christmas

By Mike Francis

The unforgiving nature of the coronavirus epidemic for almost 2 years has seriously affected charities who depend on a steady income to fund their good works. As Christmas approaches this is a suitable moment to consider which avenues are available to benefit struggling charities in their hour of greatest need.

LEAVE A LEGACY IN YOUR WILL

For a more lasting donation to your favourite charity you may like to consider including a legacy to a charity in your will.The surprising fact is that only 4 per cent of will makers make provision for a specific charity in their will. I have made 2 charitable bequests in my will which have given me the satisfaction of providing for charities who have given me much needed support in my lifetime. If you have already made a will it is easy to add a specific legacy you wish to make by contacting the solicitor who drew up the will in the first place. If you are one of the 60 per cent entitled to make a will but haven’t yet got round to it there’s no time like the present. Get hold of a solicitor approved by the Law Society draw up a will and make sure your charitable bequests are included.

WHAT CAN A LEGACY BE

A legacy can be anything you want it to be. It doesn’t have to be money. It could be a rare antique, an opulent house, a prize collection of porcelain, a car, furniture, your piano. It’s up to you to choose what you would like to give and to whom Once you made a legacy you will have the pleasure of knowing that the charity of your choice will subsequently benefit from your kind thought.

YOUR FAVOURITE CHARITY

At the last count there were 170,000 charities in the UK, some new, others well established, all fighting for attention. All competing for a contribution from the public’s tightly stretched purse. You may decide to give a legacy to a favourite charity you have been concerned with and have supported during your lifetime. It’s very important to be specific as some charities have similar names. You need to avoid mistaken identity. The name, address and charity number should be correct otherwise the donation could be invalid. All charities work earnestly for good causes. Giving support where needed, often working under extreme financial pressure. some get no government grant others rely on legacies to provide a major part of their income. So your gift could be

very important in allowing them to continue their deserving work. As a safeguard just in case the charity you have earmarked is not in existence when the will is read have an alternative mentioned as well. Remember gifts to charities are free from inheritance and capital gains taxes. Help them help other people by making a donation in your will.

THE CHARITY SHOP ROUND THE CORNER

Christmas comes but once a year and when it comes it brings great cheer. Sadly, there has not been much cheer about this year but Christmas is a real opportunity charity shops have of clawing back some of the lost revenue over 3 lockdowns. In North London where I live there are 10 charity shops minutes from each other. Like many others round the country their doors will be open for Christmas cards supporting deserving causes and presents for the family. Don’t forget the charity shops round the corner. They need your support more than ever this year.

BECOME A FUND RAISER

One of the best ways of raising money for a charity is to do it yourself. You have the belief, the energy, the sympathy with the charity in question. Who better than you? Before the pandemic struck I organised, publicised and performed in a Victorian music hall which achieved a sell-out audience and raised money for a specific charity. for a special charity who provided drapes, balloons and displays. I am currently I am currently writing a book about my father’s grocery business which will hopefully raise extra funds for the same charity. Other fund-raising activities you could get involved in are coffee mornings, parties, bike rides, Christmas fairs and fetes.

BECOME A VOLUNTEER

Another idea you could latch onto is becoming a voluntary helper assisting your favourite charity. You’re not after any medals. You believe in the charity. It gives you purpose. And like most things in life one thing can lead to something else.

DO RATHER THAN DON’T

Being positive is good for your morale and working with likeminded people boosts your selfconfidence. You can achieve so much more and take pride in your achievements. In this pandemic year you have good reasons to get involved.

Examples from charities as to how your legacy can help

CASE STUDY The Epilepsy Society

The Epilepsy Society are committed to doing everything we can in support of the 600,000 people with epilepsy in the UK. We are hugely reliant on the generosity of our supporters, with gifts in Wills amounting to more than a third of our voluntary income.

This is Sarah’s story, illustrating the importance of receiving support and the hope that our crucial research offers.

“As a child I couldn’t imagine living to this age. To actually be here at 64 is such a blessing, having lived with so many seizures for so long. I think my immediate reasoning for turning to the Epilepsy Society and giving them part of our estate is that I have been looked after as best as the scientists can with my epilepsy over the last 25 years. I hope I can give something back for them to continue doing the work they do.”

A gift in your Will, no matter how large or small, will enable our world leading research team to continue their essential work.

To find out more information on how to leave a gift in your Will, please visit epilepsysociety.org.uk/gifts-wills.

You can also contact us at

donor.support@epilepsysociety.org.uk

or by calling 01494 601 442.