Leave a gift in your will and support future generations at Whitgift
A school based on philanthropy
The very foundations of Whitgift are based on a Will.
Every Old Whitgiftian has benefited from the generosity of John Whitgift and his foresight over 400 years ago to build a school for the ‘poorer sorte’. We believe that John Whitgift’s legacy should live on in a school that genuinely transforms lives. We wish to reaffirm our founding principles and – like John Whitgift – tackle local disadvantage through education.
A school that genuinely transforms lives
From the Headmaster
We recognise that many people have demands on their finances which prevent them from making a gift to Whitgift For All in their lifetime.
Others may have made donations to the School during their life but also wish to leave a gift as a final gesture.
Legacy gifts to Whitgift For All can be your lasting tribute; an acknowledgement of what the School helped you achieve in life. Leaving a legacy to Whitgift For All enables you to help the talented pupils who follow behind you.
Whitgift is a unique School with a proud history. Its significance is not measured by reputation, size or wealth alone but also by the foresight of supporters like you. Your generosity will reach out today and touch many lives in the future.
Every Old Whitgiftian has benefited from John Whitgift’s legacy and vision by means of a subsidised education and, we hope, will share in our wish to offer a life-changing education to others.
Some of the most significant gifts made to Whitgift and the Whitgift Foundation have come from legacies. The foresight shown by legacy donors has been transformative for the School and of course without a legacy the School could not have come into
Whitgift For All Registered Charity Number: 312612-1
Scholarship is a powerful instrument of change
being in the first place.
Today we remember and celebrate benefactors of the past, but we are also focused on Whitgift’s future.
Whitgift has an obligation to play its part in shaping the world. Our ability to do that – to transform boys’ lives – comes from the generosity of our donors and the vision of the School, its role and purpose. We believe that scholarship of the highest quality is a powerful instrument of change and has the potential to bring about the most profound transformation in the lives of our boys and those in the
local community. A gift to nurture teaching, learning, and research is perhaps the most influential gift that you can make.
So, we hope to inspire you, through the example of the pupils and alumni featured in this brochure, to make a Will and to include Whitgift in it. You may not have the means to give substantially to Whitgift during your lifetime but by writing a Will you can protect your family and loved ones, provide for causes close to your heart and make a commitment to the School which will give us the assurance of a more secure future.
Andrew Halls Headmaster
Your Legacy
A legacy gift costs nothing in your lifetime, but from the moment you pledge, you know you are making a difference to the future of the School, and the future of the wider Croydon community.
A legacy gift need not be large to make a difference. Gifts at any level are valued and an endowed gift can make your support go even further. You may like to consider giving a percentage of your estate, rather than a specific amount so that the value of your gift will not be diminished by inflation. Even 1% of your estate can be a significant gift.
As a registered charity, bequests to the School are free from Inheritance Tax and gifts of shares and properties can be exempt from Capital Gains Tax. As a result of this, legacy gifts have the potential to reduce the tax burden on your family, whilst maximising the benefit of the gift to the School.
Of course, writing a Will is a deeply personal matter, at the heart of which is your desire to help the people closest to you, but it is also a means by which you might continue to shape the future for generations to come.
You can secure the best possible legacy for tomorrow by helping Whitgift’s pupils continue to strive for the knowledge and progress that will benefit humankind in time to come. We are asking you to make a legacy to Whitgift not because of what the School was in the past or what it is in the present, but what it could be in the future.
Make a difference to the future of the School
From one generation to the next
The difference a gift in your Will can make
“Before joining Whitgift, I would have never imagined just how inspiring and extraordinary this journey would be.
For me, Whitgift has been an unforgettable experience that has often stretched me academically and helped develop my passion for learning. What’s more, all the experiences and lessons that Whitgift has taught me have helped me grow as an individual and make lifelong friendships. In the end, I have come to realise an indispensable truth: Whitgift is more than just a school, it is, first and foremost, a loving and caring community and, although I only joined during Sixth Form, I was warmly welcomed from the very start. Nevertheless, I can never forget that none of this would have been possible without the bursary which has helped fund my place at Whitgift.”
Whitgift is more than just a school
Brajan Budini (OW
2018–20)
Studying Medicine at Trinity College, Cambridge
I was able to benefit from an outstanding education
“I first entered Whitgift School in January 1956, when I sat the Entrance Exam. I was fortunate enough to be offered a scholarship by the school and started that year in the autumn. My parents could not otherwise have afforded the fees, and I have ever since been immensely grateful to the School for the opportunity I had to benefit from an outstanding education.
It is for that reason, and the hope that the School will in the future be able to assist many more pupils from a wide variety of backgrounds to come to the School, that I am leaving a legacy to Whitgift For All in my Will. I hope that you, too, will consider leaving a legacy to the School for this enormously worthwhile cause, and thereby becoming a member of the Founder’s Circle, of which I have the honour of being the first President.”
Mike Proudfoot (OW 1956–63)
Recognising your support
You may wish to support Whitgift because you feel that it was part of your passport to success in life and you want to give something back, or you want to help students deal with unexpected hardship, to ensure that no-one is denied opportunity for financial reasons, or you may choose to do so simply because you love the place. Whatever your reasons, the School will be delighted if you make a provision for Whitgift in your Will.
If you do include the School in your Will, please let us know. This will help us to plan for the future and enable us to thank you for your support. Any information you give us will be treated in strict confidence and does not involve you in any binding commitment. We will recognise your generosity by inviting you to membership of the Founder’s Circle. The Circle is exclusively for legacy donors, who receive an annual invitation from the Headmaster to
attend a special event. Members are also listed in the Annual List of Donors unless they prefer to remain anonymous.
All sizes of legacy are vital to the School’s future. We very much hope that you will wish to support the School in this way and to become a member of this exclusive and very special donors’ society.
Leaving a Legacy to Whitgift For All
FAQs
Thank you for considering remembering Whitgift For All in your Will. Please note that the information on this page does not constitute legal or tax advice. We recommend that you speak with your solicitor or Will writer when making or revising your Will.
What type of gift can I leave in my Will? There are different ways in which you can choose to support Whitgift For All in your Will:
Residuary Gift: This is the remainder of the estate once other gifts and payments have been made. This can be a gift of the entire estate or a percentage of the estate after debts, expenses and other gifts have been distributed. This type of gift is popular because it takes care of others first and remains proportional to the value of your estate by keeping pace with inflation.
Pecuniary gift: A fixed sum of money. The value of a pecuniary gift could decrease over time as the cost of living increases. We also recommend you ask your solicitor about tying the gift to the Retail Price Index.
Specific gift: A gift of shares, property or other valuable items. These could include books, paintings, jewellery, property or stocks and shares rather than leaving money.
Reversionary gift: This allows you to leave assets for the care of a loved one for the duration of their life. When they die, your gift will then go to your chosen recipients.
I already have a Will. Is it simple to change my existing Will?
Yes. Even if you already have a Will, you can still make a provision to remember Whitgift For All. We recommend you speak to your solicitor or Will writer to revise your Will.
How is my inheritance tax affected if I remember Whitgift For All in my Will? If you choose to remember Whitgift For All in your Will, you may be able to reduce the taxable value of your assets and so lower the amount of tax due on your estate. Whitgift For All is a registered charity (no.312612-1), so gifts left to Whitgift For All are free from capital gains tax and inheritance tax. We recommend that you speak you your solicitor or Will writer for further information You can also view HMRC’s guidance on inheritance tax.
Can you advise on appropriate wording to put in my Will?
We are happy to provide you or your solicitor with suggested wording for your Will. We can also work with you to find wording that ensures your gift is used in accordance with your wishes. Your solicitor may also use the following wording as a guideline for including Whitgift For All in your Will:
I give X per cent (or the sum of £ X or identified property) from my estate to the trustees of Whitgift For All (Registered charity number 312612-1) or any successor charity to use for its charitable objects (or any part of them) and I direct that the receipt of the Secretary of the charity shall be sufficient to discharge to my executors.
What impact can my gift have?
We will do whatever we can to respect our supporters’ wishes, and we understand that supporters may like to direct their gift to different areas of the school. You can make an unrestricted gift to Whitgift For All to support bursaries, which we would usually direct to the endowment fund for future bursaries, or you can support a more specific area of School life. If you wish to support a specific area we recommend that you get in touch with us so that we can help you make the desired impact.
Can Whitgift For All claim Gift Aid on a gift in my Will?
Unfortunately, the Gift Aid scheme does not apply to gifts in Wills.
What happens if one of my beneficiaries dies before me?
Your solicitor or writer can draft the Will in such a way that if one of your beneficiaries dies, either the gift reverts to the main estate (reversionary Will) or that another person is nominated (conditional).
We recommend that you speak with your solicitor or Will writer.
Do I need to let Whitgift know that I have left a gift in my Will?
We understand that the decision to remember Whitgift For All in your Will is a personal matter, but we hope that you will tell us about your gift so that we can recognise your generosity, thank you and welcome you to the Founders Circle. Of course, if you wish to remain anonymous, we will honour your wishes. Any information that you share with us will be kept private and confidential.
How do I contact Whitgift to let the School know of my intentions or ask questions?
If you would like to tell us of your intentions or ask questions, please contact Andy Marlow, Assistant Head – Partnerships and Development via email ajm@whitgift.co.uk or phone 020 8688 9222 or complete and return the following form.
Leaving a Legacy to Whitgift For All | My Intentions
Your details:
Title:
First Name:
Last Name: Year left Whitgift:
Address: Email: Telephone: Confidential
n I have already remembered Whitgift For All in my Will n I intend to remember Whitgift For All in my Will
n I am considering remembering Whitgift For All in my Will
Next Steps
I’d like to discuss making a gift in my Will by: n Telephone n Email n In person
Please return this form to:
Andy Marlow, Assistant Head – Partnerships and Development Whitgift School, Haling Park, South Croydon, CR2 6YT
Thank you for supporting future generations of Whitgiftians. Your gift will help to transform lives through the power of education.
The Alumni and Development Office
Haling Park
South Croydon CR2 6YT
United Kingdom www.whitgift.co.uk/alumni