Making a will is one of the most important things you can do to ensure that your loved ones and the good causes you are passionate about will be provided for in the future.  Making a will doesn't have to be difficult or expensive and a Solicitor will guide you through the practice.

Nearly a quarter of all income donated to charities in the UK is through Gifts in Wills.  Wessex Heartbeat relies heavily on Gifts in Wills. Leaving a gift is one of the best ways in which you can help secure a better future for people living with Cardiovascular Disease and other related cardiac conditions.

Any gift you give doesn't have to be large to make a difference.  Anything you leave can play a big part in our future and there is no age barrier to start making your wishes known.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I leave a gift in my Will? There are three main ways to make a difference through leaving a gift:

• Residuary Legacy : This is a share or even all of the balance of your estate, once all the other payments have been made, i.e. debts, funeral expenses.
• Pecuniary Legacy : A gift of a specific amount, whether it is £100 or £10,000. Bear in mind that the value of the pecuniary gift will decrease over time as the cost of living increases.
• Specific Legacy : When someone decides to leave specific items. These could be items of jewellery, furniture, artwork, property, shares or a collection of any kind that would be of value to you.
• Default or Contingent Request : The gift would only take effect in the event that none of your heirs survive you.

Do I get to decide where my gift is used? You can leave a gift to a particular area of our work, i.e. Heartbeat House but the most valuable gifts are those which are unrestricted.  This means we can use your gift where it is most needed at the point of receiving your funds.  This is because we do not know exactly what will need funding in 5, 10 or 30 years' time.  However, if you wish to leave your gift for a specific area of our work, then please call us and we can discuss which area of our work you would like to benefit.

My situation has changed, so what if I want to change my Will? Should you want to make a simple change, you may be able to use a codicil which amends or updates your existing Will. We recommend you always use a Solicitor who will be able to make sure that your codicil does not conflict with any of your existing wishes.

Do I need to tell you I've left a gift in my Will? No you don't have to tell us but we would love to hear from you if you have. Sharing your story (with your permission) can inspire other people to leave us gifts and it would be great if we could keep you updated on all the work we are doing.

Is there specific wording I need to use as I want to make sure it goes to you? As we have said, it's better to speak to a legal advisor when writing your Will but we suggest the following:-

“I give the sum of £_____(or specify a share of the residue) to Wessex Cardiac Trust, Registered Charity Number 1116510, 152-154 Tremona Road, Southampton, Hampshire SO16 6HW for its general purposes and I declare that the receipt of the proper officer of the said Wessex Cardiac Trust for the time being shall be a full and sufficient discharge for the said legacy”

That's great but who do I contact at the charity if I have some more questions about my Will? We are happy to answer your questions and you can email Tina, our Donor Development Manager or call on 023 8070 6095.