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Legacy Giving
It can be difficult to think about what happens in the future after you're gone. Friends and family obviously come first in a Will, but once they’re taken care of, many people also like to leave a gift to their favourite charities to ensure that their legacy continues to live on.
Leaving a gift in your will
You see, behind every serving person or veteran is a family that also serve. Children grow up too fast, learning what PTSD is before they understand multiplication. Families and friends become carers, nurses and lifelines, learning about military trauma, PTSD, moral injury, managing sleepless nights, medications, suicidal ideation, and mental health crisis, all the while holding the family together. The world may move on, and the conflict may end but the support that families provide to their loved one is ongoing. ​ Just as their loved one fought, they too fight, for appointments, for stability, for moments of peace in lives fractured by trauma. The Ripple Pond advocates for the families, ensuring that the people caring for injured loved ones are seen, heard and supported. Claire’s story is one of many, each different and yet each the same. We offer people like Claire a safe place, a community of like-minded individuals who understand what it’s like to walk on eggshells, unsure when or where the trauma will next surface, but committed to helping their loved ones recover. We listen and support, we give them resources, events and workshops to equip them in their journey and one to one support in times of intense struggle. You may never meet the families you help, but they will never forget you. Your gift could be the reason a family finds hope again.
A gift in your will to The Ripple Pond is more than a donation. It’s a lifeline for those who stand beside the UK’s injured heroes.
You’ve spent your life standing up for what matters, just as Claire’s husband did when he joined the British Military at the age of 16. He served on tours in Iraq and Afghanistan at the height of the conflicts, witnessing sights many of us can’t even begin to imagine. Sights that changed him; flashbacks, night terrors, and a declining mental health took over, the horrors of war that had been distant and far, became a part of the memories that lived in their home. Sights that led to Claire juggling the demands of a young family, her work, and a war she experienced by proxy, an aftermath that continued not for a week or a month, but over the course of their life, year after year.
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Promise one
Your decision will be treated with respect and confidentiality.
Promise two
You will never be pressured into leaving a gift.
Promise three
Any gift, however small, will be valued and directed toward supporting families of injured personnel and veterans.
Promise four
You may change your mind at any time.
We know that choosing to leave a gift in your will to us is a big decision. We are always very appreciative of any gift left to us, whatever the size and want you to be assured that your gift will leave a lasting legacy of love, support and understanding for our Members.
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That's why we've created our legacy promise. From us to you - your gift means the world.
The Ripple Pond is professionally and compassionately run. It is life saving feeling connected and being able to identify with others.
This is a wonderful organisation with real passion, knowledge and care behind it. There a great variety of ways to support and knowing I'm not alone means the world.
The only one of its kind. It cancels the sense of isolation and loneliness and provides much needed sharing, information and education
Thinking about leaving a gift to The Ripple Pond in your Will but not sure where to start? It might surprise you to know that it is actually really simple.
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Follow our simple, four step guide.
Step one – You’ll need the following details:
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Charity name: The Ripple Pond
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Charity address: Ground Floor, 66 High Street, Lewes. BN7 1XG
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Charity Number: 1161224 (England & Wales); SCO46402 (Scotland)
Step two - Find a solicitor or Will writer to write or update your Will.
We are members of Remember a Charity, a consortium of charities that rely on legacy giving to continue their vital work and they’ve got a helpful search function on their website to help you find someone to do this.
Step three: Decide on the type of gift you would like to leave. There are three different types of gift you can leave to charity in your Will:
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Pecuniary gifts - a set amount of money
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Residuary gifts - a percentage, or the whole, of your estate (what’s left after other specified gifts, costs, and tax)
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Specific gifts - a specific object, asset or property
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Gifts in Wills can be any size. It's a common myth that you have to leave a large amount of money to charity in your Will. In fact, even a small donation can make a huge difference to the causes you care about.
​Step four: Provide your solicitor or Will writer with the details above. They’ll do the rest of the hard work for you!
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And if you already have a Will, you can ask your solicitor to update it with a codicil then give them the above details. This a document used to make changes to an existing Will. It’s used as a way to make simple amendments like adding a charity, changing a gift amount or adding an executor.
Still on the fence?
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Leaving a gift in a Will not only benefits us, it could also benefit your family too! Gifts left to charities in Wills are tax free but if you leave at least 10% of your net estate to charity in your Will then the overall rate of inheritance tax paid can reduce from 40% to 36%. Good news for both loved ones and The Ripple Pond!
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Visit gov.uk for more information about the 36% discounted inheritance tax rate