Hare. Image by: Richard Steel/2020VISION.
Leave a gift in your will
Don't leave the future to chance
Wildlife needs Will power.
Include a gift in your Will for wildlife and protect our inheritance.
Everyone should make a Will, even if you think your estate is of little value, as it is the only way to ensure that your property and possessions go to those you wish after your death. If you do not leave a Will, it can cause a great deal more work for relatives at an already stressful time. Once you’ve made a Will, it is important for you to keep it up-to-date as life changes, such as marriage or the arrival of grandchildren, as these things may affect your wishes.
Once you have looked after your family and friends, please think about leaving a gift to Northumberland Wildlife Trust. We're so lucky to have such wonderful wildlife and wild places across Northumberland, Newcastle and North Tyneside. A gift in your Will, no matter how large or small, means that the wildlife and landscapes that inspire you today can be enjoyed and experienced by future generations forever. And it costs you nothing during your lifetime.
If you have any questions or want to speak to someone about leaving a gift in your Will, then please email elizabeth.lovatt@northwt.org.uk
Annstead Dunes. Image by: Duncan Hutt.
A gift for a special landscape
Annstead Dunes was given to the Trust by its owners during their lifetime, to ensure its continuing preservation as an area of natural beauty
Image by: John Faulkner.
A gift for a precious habitat
A £500 legacy contributed to the construction of a dedicated sand martin nesting site at our Hauxley Nature Reserve
Image by: Ross Hoddinott/2020VISION.
A gift for future generations
A £142,500 legacy facilitated the move to St Nicholas Park reserve in Gosforth and the development of the site to provide activities for school children and the wider community
House sparrow. Image by: Fergus Gill/2020VISION.
A gift for wildlife
A £90,000 legacy specifically to protect birds and install viewing hides on the Northumberland coast enabled the installation of five new hides and significant habitat restoration work at our East Chevington and Druridge Pools reserves
Your legacy counts
Many people understand that leaving a gift to Northumberland Wildlife Trust is a meaningful way of making a lasting commitment to the wildlife and places that they love. Since our formation in 1971, we have received in excess of £2 million in legacies, which makes a huge difference to our work. A gift in your Will can mean the difference between saving a haven for wildlife and losing it forever.
Legacies have already helped us:
- Provide vital protection for local wildlife, landscapes and endangered species
- Manage nature reserves throughout the region
- Run events to educate and inspire schools, communities and individuals to care for their environment
- Engage volunteers in helping conserve local areas
How you could make a difference:
- £500 could buy pond dipping or survey equipment
- £1,000 could enable volunteers to install otter holts
- £5,000 could pay for paths, boardwalks and information for visitors to our reserves
- £10,000 could restore a wildflower meadow to its former glory
- £50,000 could help us to acquire an important wildlife site and save it from development, forever
- £250,000 could provide match funding to build a new visitor centre
Next steps
If you're considering making a Will, we always recommend that you talk to a professional. To include us in your new Will, or add us to your existing Will, your solicitor will need the following details:
Charity name: Northumberland Wildlife Trust
Charity number: 221819
Charity address: Garden House, St Nicholas Park, Jubilee Road, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE3 3XT
A number of solicitors in the region are able to offer our supporters generous discounts on professional Will writing, whether you choose to include our charity or otherwise. We recommend contacting them directly to understand more.
Solicitors
Hadaway & Hadaway - 10% discount
58 Howard Street, North Shields, Tyne & Wear, NE30 1AL
0191 257 0382
Tait Farrier Graham - 20% discount
16 Regent Terrace, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear, NE8 1LU
0191 490 0108
Nicholson Portnell - 20% discount
Priestpopple House, Priestpopple, Hexham, NE46 1PL
01434 603656
Types of gift
There are three main ways that you can leave a gift in your Will:
A share of your estate
This is a gift of all or part of the value of your estate after debts, other legacies and liabilities are met.
A specific sum
This is when you choose to leave a specific sum (also known as a pecuniary gift), which you can arrange to be increased in line with inflation.
A specific item
This is when you give a specific item such as a painting, books, jewellery, land, stock and shares or property.
However you choose to remember Northumberland Wildlife Trust, you can be safe in the knowledge that your gift will be used in the best possible way to secure a positive future for wildlife in the region. From April 2012, any estate which bequeaths at least 10% of its value to a charitable or cultural cause will enjoy a reduction in inheritance tax, from 40% to 36%, benefitting everybody you include in your Will.
The positive impact of the Trust on Northumberland's wildlife is truly amazing, but there is always work to do to protect our beautiful county - please think about leaving something to help.NWT member since 1986
A gift in memory
Many people prefer to make a donation 'in memoriam' or in lieu of flowers at a funeral - a positive way to say goodbye. Gifts such as these ensure that our nature reserves and the species that depend on them continue to thrive and provide a living memorial to the person that you love. You may even wish to donate to a specific project area that was important to your loved one.
Get in touch to find out more
Elizabeth Lovatt, elizabeth.lovatt@northwt.org.uk
Our promise to you...
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We recognise your loved ones come first in your Will.
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We will treat you fairly and we won’t intrude on your privacy.
- We will never ask you the size or type of your legacy, because every gift makes a difference.
- We understand that circumstances change and there may be a time where you need to take Northumberland Wildlife Trust out of your Will.
- We promise to use your gift wisely, in line with your wishes.
- We will treat any information you provide to us as confidential.
Case studies
Sue Bishop
Sue Bishop
"When my husband, Clive, received a terminal diagnosis in the summer of 2005, we decided to try to visit as many of his favourite locations as we could before he became too ill.
One of his favourite local spots was the Trust’s Hauxley reserve because of the variety of habitats, but especially because of the views across the water from the hides. We made several visits over the following months and, it was during one such trip that he commented that some of the hides were a little old and tired and asked me to donate enough money for a new hide after his death.
He died just before Christmas 2005 so I donated and Gift Aided the money to the Trust early in 2006. The new hide replaced the old Tern hide in 2007.
When I visited the reserve some weeks later, I met a bird watcher in the new hide who enthused about how many species she had seen at Hauxley from the comfort of the new construction; I was very pleased to her hear that and I am sure Clive would have been too."
Sue Bishop, Marketing Volunteer