leave a legacy

How would you like to be remembered?

Ensure a future for wildlife. Remember The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside in your Will.

The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside is the leading independent environmental organisation in the North West. It was founded by a group of Lancashire Naturalists, who recognised that the wealth of our natural heritage was under threat from land development, new technology and diminishing traditional values.

Today, more than ever before, people are willing to make a special effort to make certain that our natural heritage will be protected for future generations. Our vision is 'an environment rich in wildlife for everyone'. Help us to protect our habitats and species, both common and rare, for all to enjoy.

How you can help!

By remembering The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside in your Will you can make a "living" gift and leave a lasting impression. Legacies are an important source of funding for the Trust to continue to:

	create wildlife havens in towns and cities, and protect our nature reserves in the countryside.
	work with local people to transform neglected spaces into 'breathing places', where they can connect with nature.
	inspire people about the natural world.
	share our knowledge of wildlife at every opportunity and with all ages.
	be deeply rooted in our local community.
	look after our local environment - the best way we can all look after our planet.
	stand up for wildlife by influencing decision makers and giving a voice to wildlife in danger
	be the local wildlife experts, with a passion for nature that we love to share.

Where there's a will...

Here are some examples of how you could make a difference by remembering The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside in your Will.

	£500 could buy pond dipping and other equipment for children
	£1,000 could pay for more nest boxes for birds and bats
	£5,000 could finance paths and boardwalks for visitors with wheelchairs
	£10,000 could restore an area of wildlife habitat to its former glory
	£50,000 could enable us to acquire an important wildlife site and protect it from development forever

Once you have remembered your friends and family, please consider including The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside in your Will.

To arrange a legacy is straightforward and less expensive than you might think.

It is advisable to use a solicitor or other legally qualified person to draft the will (or any codicil to an existing will). They will be able to make sure the wording is thorough and unambiguous, so your money and property really do the reach the people and organisations you would wish to benefit.

To include The Wildlife Trust in a will, we suggest the following wording:-

"I give X% of the residue of my estate [or] the sum of £X to the Lancashire Wildlife Trust, The Barn, Bamber Bridge, Preston, PR5 6BY, registered charity no. 229325, for its general purposes".

If you wish to benefit a particular area of our work, please add the words "...with the request that it be used for the purposes of...[name the area of work]".

Finally add: "I further direct that the receipt of the person who professes to be the Treasurer or other proper officer of the said Trust shall be a full and sufficient discharge for the said legacy".

Remember the tax benefits: all legacies to registered charities are free from inheritance tax, so there may be less tax to pay on the estate.

Knowing we have been remembered in a will helps us plan ahead with greater confidence. We can also show our appreciation of this generous form of support in various ways.

If you have any specific questions about legacies, please email Rosslyn Colderley via legacies@lancswt.org.uk or phone 01772 317244

The Wildlife Trusts have produced a FREE booklet, to help you make your will and use your legacy to protect our wild heritage. Thank you!

Thank you for your interest in The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside. Your help will be appreciated by generations to come.