Charlton Baker plays a small part in Legacy Donation to Wiltshire Community Foundation 

Charlton Baker plays a small part in Legacy Donation to Wiltshire Community Foundation 

Background

Mr March approached Wiltshire Community Foundation while in the process of renewing his will with Charlton Baker accountants. Having been involved in local charitable activities for many years alongside his late wife, he wanted to leave a legacy donation to support local causes in Swindon and Wiltshire. Mr March was aware of the impactful work that Wiltshire Community Foundation did, helping to support charities across the County.

Initial Conversation

When Mr March initially reached out, he was under the impression that his legacy donation would be a straightforward contribution to the Foundation, with funds being used at their discretion. However, upon meeting with a representative from the Foundation, it became clear to Mr March, that there are lots of options available for his giving to be highly personal and make a lasting impact.

Exploring Options

Following a series of phone calls and an in-person meeting, the Wiltshire Community Foundation team explained the full range of options available to Mr March. One option that particularly resonated with him was the possibility of creating a named charitable fund within the Foundation. This would allow Mr March to not only leave a lasting legacy in memory of his late wife but also to have control over the themes and causes the fund would support.

The idea of a long-term, invested fund that would provide grants in perpetuity was something Mr March found very reassuring. He was particularly moved by the prospect of naming the fund in honour of his late wife and knowing that the family would be able to oversee the fund when the time came.

Defining the Fund’s Focus

Mr March took the time to reflect on the areas he wanted his fund to impact. After discussing it with his sons over a few weeks, he identified several key themes for his charitable fund:

• Health and Wellbeing: Including physical and mental health, support for people living with disabilities, and tackling loneliness and isolation.
• Poverty: Including homelessness and providing support to young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in accessing education.
• Family Support Services: Including counselling services and general family support.

Mr March also requested a geographical restriction for his fund, specifying that grants should only go to groups within a 30-mile radius of his home. This ensured that the people benefitting from the fund were local to the area where Mr March and his wife had lived and worked for many years.

Mr March Feedback "I thought I would simply make a donation to the Foundation and that would be it. I never believed for one minute that I would be able to hold my own charitable fund, and that it was possible to do this in the name of my wife. It is fair to say that I was very pleased, and this far exceeded my expectation."

The Process

Once the parameters of the charitable fund were agreed upon, the Wiltshire Community Foundation team made the process as simple as possible for Mr March. They drafted a Letter of Wishes and a Fund Agreement, which clearly outlined how the fund would be set up and managed.

The Foundation liaised directly with Mr March’s accountant at Charlton Baker, who ensured that the donation was properly documented in his will. Additionally, the Foundation worked with Mr March’s financial advisor and his pension provider to add Wiltshire Community Foundation as a beneficiary of his pension, ensuring that the full scope of his charitable intent was carried out smoothly.

Mr March Feedback "I was extremely impressed with how smooth and efficient the process has been. Oliver at the Community Foundation, and Jenna at Charlton Baker have taken away a lot of the administrative burden, and this has been very reassuring and helpful to me."

Conclusion

Mr March's legacy donation will not only create a lasting impact on his local community but also enables him to establish a meaningful and personalised tribute to his late wife, who was in caring professions all her working life, and was the motivation for Mr March considering leaving a legacy donation. Through the process, Mr March was able to understand the options available for leaving a charitable legacy that reflected their values and the causes they deeply care about. Wiltshire Community Foundation made this experience straightforward and empowering, ensuring that their legacy will continue to benefit local causes for generations to come.

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