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Nurturing Nature Forever: The Legacy of Leaving a Gift in Your Will
A Lasting Contribution to Essex's Wild Places
Leaving a gift in your Will to Essex Wildlife Trust is more than just a generous act - it’s a powerful investment in the future of our county’s wildlife. Whether large or small, these legacy gifts allow the Trust to restore, protect, and expand vital habitats across Essex, while inspiring communities and empowering the next generation of conservationists.
Did you know that Gifts in Wills fund £1 in every £3 of the Trust’s voluntary income? Many of our projects and day-to-day conservation work is funded with the help of these powerful gifts, enabling us to continue protecting the wildlife of Essex.
Why your Gift Matters
A gift, no matter how large or small enables us to manage over 100 nature reserves across the county, supports landscape restoration, species recovery, community engagement, reserve expansion, and long-term financial resilience for the Trust. One particularly impactful legacy was from Joan Elliot, whose bequest enabled us to purchase our headquarters at Abbotts Hall Farm - the heart of a celebrated 300-acre coastal habitat project.
After looking after your loved ones, leaving as little as 10% of your residual estate to the Trust has a huge impact on protecting our county’s wildlife and inspiring a love of nature in the people of Essex.
Essex Wildlife Trust is a charity, which means that we can’t continue without the kindness, foresight and consideration of our supporters. We’re eternally grateful to those that pledge to leave a Gift in their Will as it enables us to look forward to an even Wilder Essex.
Celebrating our Legacy Pledgers
The amazing individuals that let us know that they have pledged to leave a Gift to the Trust in their Will are invited to special events each year, including guided walks and workshops – we also offer bespoke trips for those with mobility challenges so that everyone can share the beauty of our wild spaces. This is our way of saying thank you, our Chief Executive also writes to our pledgers each Christmas with a round up of the year and the Legacy Team send out a summer newsletter.
Why Do People Leave a Legacy to Essex Wildlife Trust?
It’s probably best to hear this directly from our pledgers!
“Essex is my home and I care about its future. Essex Wildlife Trust is fighting nature’s corner” – Janet W
“Volunteering with an organisation committed to supporting nature is so rewarding and I want to help Essex Wildlife Trust thrive into the future” – Tom H
“We decided to include a gift in our Will to Essex Wildlife Trust so that their great work carries on benefitting the next generation, as we want to give our children – and their children’s children – something to have and love for the future.” – Paul & Gail Cuthbert
For more information about leaving a gift in your Will contact our Legacy Team on legacies@essexwt.org.uk
FAQs
How do you include a charity in your Will?
It’s easier than ever to leave a gift in your Will to charity. You can leave either a fixed cash gift, known as a pecuniary bequest, or a percentage of, or remainder, of the estate after all costs and pecuniary bequests, known as a residual bequest. We also offer a Will writing service that can be used to create or update your Will, for free, in as little as 20 minutes.
If you’d like to include a Gift in your Will to Essex Wildlife Trust then simply include the following details in your Will:
Essex Wildlife Trust Limited
CRN: 210065
Abbotts Hall Farm, Maldon Road, Great Wigborough, Colchester, Essex CO5 7RZ
Do you have suggested wording for my Will?
An example of simple fixed cash gift (known as a pecuniary bequest) in your Will can be as follows:
I give to ESSEX WILDLIFE TRUST LIMITED (Charity registration number 210065) of Abbotts Hall Farm, Maldon Road, Great Wigborough, Colchester, Essex CO5 7RZ absolutely the sum of £ [amount in words] for its general purposes and I direct that the receipt of the Treasurer or other duly authorised officer shall be a sufficient discharge to my Executors.
An example of a simple share of, or remainder, of the estate after all costs and pecuniary bequests (known as a residual bequest) in your Will can be as follows:
I give to ESSEX WILDLIFE TRUST LIMITED (Charity registration number 210065) of Abbotts Hall Farm, Maldon Road, Great Wigborough, Colchester, Essex CO5 7RZ absolutely [ enter the proportion of the residue ie % or x share of X] for its general purposes and I direct that the receipt of the Treasurer or other duly authorised officer shall be a sufficient discharge to my Executors.
What is the difference between a legacy and a donation?
A donation is a contribution that is given by someone during their lifetime, whereas a legacy bequest (otherwise known as a Gift left in someone’s Will) is a sum of money paid to a charity after someone has passed away. The bequest is paid from the deceased’s estate once probate has been granted and by a nominated executor. The charity has a legal obligation to spend the Gift as per the wishes of the deceased (as written within their Will).
Can you claim gift aid on legacies?
No, a legacy is a gift made under the authority of the Will of a person who has died. It is taken from the capital of the estate and, if a gift is made to a charitable body, relief is given against the inheritance tax payable on the estate of the deceased.
Since a legacy is paid out of capital and Gift Aid is restricted to gifts out of income, a legacy cannot qualify as a donation to be made under Gift Aid.
