Make wildlife plans for the future. Image by Ben Watkins
Gifts in Wills
A gift in your Will can help protect Cornwall's wild spaces so they can be enjoyed by future generations
At Cornwall Wildlife Trust, we hope in the years to come that Cornwall's beautiful landscapes will continue to be protected for wildlife. We work every day on land and at sea to help nature thrive – and we couldn't do this vital work for nature without gifts in Wills.
They have helped us to purchase and care for more land for nature recovery, ensure that threatened species are protected, and inspire young people to delight in and look after the environment.
Over the last five years, gifts in Wills have accounted for more than a fifth of our income, making them essential to the work we do. Without your generosity and support, the future of Cornwall’s much-loved wildlife and wild places would be at increased risk.
Your Will can make a huge difference to wildlife in Cornwall. Gifts in Wills have already helped:
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buy more land to benefit wildlife and tackle climate change
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provide protection for endangered species
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educate and inspire children and young people
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engage volunteers to conserve local areas
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influence key stakeholders for the protection of wildlife
No matter how large or small, your gift in a Will can help nature in Cornwall thrive in the future.
Nature has bought us such joy and it’s nice to know that, through leaving a gift to Cornwall Wildlife Trust, we can help protect and create nature reserves, contributing to something permanent to help wildlife and for others to enjoy. It’s lovely to know we can do that.
Terry and Jean, Cornwall Wildlife Trust members for 60 years
Silver Studded Blue Butterfly. Image Ben Watkins
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Having worked for Cornwall Wildlife Trust for over twenty years, it has been amazing to see the impact of gifts left to us in Wills. I have been privileged to work alongside families to ensure their loved one’s wishes are carried out in the way they would have wanted. There’s a real sense that they have left behind something truly remarkable that will live on – and often a special connection develops with a particular place, which can be visited by families in the years to come.
Callum Deveney, Head of Nature Reserves
Adrian Langdon
Looe Island, Image by David Chapman
Five Acres
Devichoys Wood
Some of our nature reserves bought by, bought with, or increased in size thanks to gifts in Wills.
My dream is that in the future Cornwall will be brimful of wildlife once again. A place in which ancient oak woodlands echo more loudly with birdsong and restored flower-rich grasslands buzz with life. A place where seals and dolphins feed and play safely in coastal waters, and Cornish choughs and St. Piran’s crabs are a common sight. Our streams, rewilded by beavers, will be home to abundant salmon, water voles, and amphibians. A place where nature is cherished and enjoyed by the wild explorers of the future.
Cheryl Marriot, Head of Conservation
Some questions answered
I already have a Will. Can I add to it?
If you have already made your Will, it’s very easy to add a gift to Cornwall Wildlife Trust. You’re likely only to need a simple legal document called a codicil to add to your existing Will. Simply ask your legal adviser for details.
I’m not wealthy and I want to leave money to members of my family. What if there’s not enough left to leave to charities as well?
It’s important remember your family and friends, but once you have considered the needs of your nearest and dearest, you might think about leaving a small percentage of the ‘residue’ of your estate to causes closest to your heart. The Trust will receive the proportion that you intended, holding its value better than a cash sum, regardless of aspects in the future like inflation.
What types of gift can I leave?
Residuary bequest: when you wish to give whatever is left (or a share of what is left) after all costs have been met and all pecuniary and specific bequests have been deducted. This is known as the ‘residue’ of your estate.
Pecuniary bequest: when you leave a specific sum of money to a person, organisation or charity. Please remember that inflation can reduce the value of the amount specified.
Specific bequest: when you choose to leave a specific item, such as land, jewellery or even your home.
Are there tax benefits if I remember Cornwall Wildlife Trust in my Will?
Gifts in Wills to Cornwall Wildlife Trust are exempt from Inheritance Tax due to our charitable status. A gift may also help reduce the amount of tax paid on your overall estate through schemes which reduce Inheritance Tax through charitable giving. Ask you adviser or visit www.gov.uk/inheritance-tax to find out more.
Do I need a solicitor to write or amend my Will?
We recommend you seek professional advice from a solicitor to make sure that all legal formalities are considered and that your Will is valid. In particular, if you are in one of the following groups of people you should speak with a traditional solicitor face to face:
- If you have a high value estate (details here) or complex requirements;
- If you would simply rather speak with a solicitor!
You can find a solicitor at the Law Society.
Please make sure your solicitor uses our full details. Our name: Cornwall Wildlife Trust, our charity number: 214929 and our registered address: Cornwall Wildlife Trust, Five Acres, Allet, Truro TR4 9DJ
Alternatively, you might be interested in making your Will for free using the service we have teamed up with Make a Will Online to provide.
If I want to leave a gift in a Will to Cornwall Wildlife Trust, what information does my solicitor need?
Your solicitor will need to know our charity full name and address (Five Acres, Allet, Truro, Cornwall, TR4 9DJ) as well as our Registered Charity Number (214929) and the percentage of the residue or the amount of money you would like to leave to the Trust. Please also let us know if you are thinking of leaving us a gift so we can acknowledge your generosity.
Can I request how my gift is used?
We welcome gifts that can be spent wherever the need is greatest, because they help us carry out the most urgent conservation work. However, we are also happy to receive requests for a gift to be spent on a particular nature reserve or area of our work. Please get in touch to discuss this with us.
Cornwall Wildlife Trust is dedicated to wildlife conservation. Making a gift to them when you write or update your will is a very special way of ensuring they can continue to do this. A few words from you can mean a new nature reserve is purchased, a rare habitat is secured or simply that people who have the skills and passion to protect wildlife can go on doing so in your local area.
Sir David Attenborough, President Emeritus of The Wildlife Trusts
Want to know more?
We know you’ll want to take time to think about your family, loved ones and others you care for as you consider your Will, but when the time is right, you can call us for an informal conversation about what a lasting gift could mean.
Any information that you provide will be treated in the strictest confidence and is not legally binding.
If you have already included Cornwall Wildlife Trust in your Will, please let us know.
Please do get in touch with Andrea or Lisa:
- Email: supportercare@cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk
- Tel: (01872) 273 939.
- Mail: Cornwall Wildlife Trust, Five Acres, Allet, Truro, Cornwall, TR4 9DJ
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