Legacies

Imagine - A fund for the future.

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"I intend to leave after my death, a large fund for the promotion of the peace idea, but I am skeptical as to the results!" Alfred Nobel

Imagine Giggleswick today if, in the 1490s James Carr had not given his life to teaching and building at his own expense "one gramer scole" on the garth of the ancient church of St Alkelda; or if John Nowell had not later endowed the school and petitioned King Edward VI in 1553, endowing it with lands at Acaster near York.

Imagine Giggleswick today if George Style had not invested his own income in the development of the "new" science block and then if Walter Morrison had not been "minded to build the school a chapel on the rock above the school”.

Imagine too, Giggleswick today if Norman Sharpe, Mr Partridge and Richard Whiteley had not bequeathed sums to the school which now shape its fabric. The Shute Scholars would not benefit from the unique education that the school offers and generations of pupils would never have enjoyed the fascination of hearing Sir Alex Ferguson, Lord Bragg or Arch-Bishop Sentamu at the Glover Memorial lectures.

Now imagine Giggleswick in the future, after a gift in your Will.

Be part of our story

"I’ve met many people since leaving Gigg’ who simply were not fortunate enough to have had such a rich experience at school. After Giggleswick I was able to read Earth Sciences at Oxford and following that a Ph.D. in Land Surface Modelling and Remote Sensing at University College London. Pursuing a career as a scientist, my research is into the impact of climate change. Post-doctoral research in Paris and the United States has found me reflecting recently that I simply would not be where I am today without the support of my teachers and opportunities that were available at Giggleswick.

Giggleswick's staff provided us with a supportive network that led us to really believe that we could achieve, and strongly encouraged us to do so. Of course, the quality of teaching helped me to attain high grades, but it is not necessarily the case that good grades alone are the key to succeeding in life - the personal and emotional support were essential. Giggleswick provided us with a homely, comfortable, fun and secure boarding environment. This undoubtedly provided the framework with which I could pursue my studies, and the wide range of extra-curricular activities broadened my perspective and led me to become a really balanced individual.

I will always be grateful for my time at Giggleswick and continue to carry with me many fond memories and valuable lessons that have helped to shape the course of my life. I hope that I can return that in some way in a positive direction in the years ahead."

Natasha, 2002

Why leave a gift in your will?

A gift for future generations – why leave a gift in your Will?

You could make a difference to future generations who will benefit from Giggleswick, by leaving a gift to Giggleswick School. All gifts in Wills directly support work that cares for and enhances our pupil’s lives. Many choose to support bursaries through their legacy, others it is sport, music and drama, or the boarding life of the school. The choice is yours.

How your gift helps

How your gift helps – your support Will make a difference

"A legacy is not a donation, it is an investment that sustains the future of the school."

A gift in your Will, no matter how modest, will help to make things happen. Gifts of this sort are as fundamentally important to our future as they have been in our past.

We can invest your gift directly in bursarial support of our pupils who would not otherwise be able to afford the considerable costs of a modern Giggleswick education and benefit from that unique experience.

"As a day pupil in the late 1950`s I was fortunate to benefit from local arrangements with the then West Riding Education Authority. My parents could not have afforded any fees. When my parents moved away, Giggleswick boarded me. So I owe many thanks Giggleswick. Thanks not just for the boarding bursary but thanks also for education in the wider meaning of the word.

I was no avid sports man but had to partake in sporting activities whether rugby or cricket; or `Standards` which included all the athletic and track events. So I have thrown a javelin, high jumped and hurdled. How many people have played `Fives`?Who in Paley, at that time, does not remember the `night exercises`? Dropped off in the dark and making ones way by compass bearing to an RV?

I carried on my CCF experience to obtain a TA Commission, which opened up other incredible experiences. I even ran in Northern Command track events! A school organised visit to Verdi`s Requiem has given me a lasting pleasure in choral music. There are too many other things to mention.

“Giggleswick was not only good to me, it was good for me. It is time now to acknowledge that debt."

Chris Butterfield, 1964

There are 4 types of legacy that one can gift:

PECUNIARY – A predetermined specific sum set out in the Will.
RESIDUARY – A share or percentage of an estate such as shares or property.
REVERSIONARY – A gift which is given after the estate has been passed to a spouse.
SPECIFIC – A specific item which is given in your name

Making a gift in your Will

If you make a gift in your Will

Your heirs benefit too as the value of your gift reduces the inheritance tax that your estate will have to pay. It is likely, dependent on your tax commitments that every £1000 gifted will save up to £400 in inheritance tax for the balance of your estate.

You should consult your legal adviser or accountant before making a new Will or making any changes to your existing one but, in general, gifts made to Giggleswick, during your lifetime or on your death, are exempt from Inheritance Tax.

Bequests made to charities, including The Giggleswick Foundation, would be deducted from the net value of your Estate, thus reducing your Inheritance Tax liability. Inheritance tax is normally charged at 40% of the residue after your allowance is deducted. However, if you are kind enough to gift 10% of that residue to charity, the residue is then taxed at 36%. Thus it is possible to make a fundamental difference to the future of Giggleswick School with significantly less impact on your beneficiaries.

Inheritance Tax thresholds are usually reviewed in the Budget each year and information on the current level is always available from the Government Website. As the table above shows, if the value of your estate were £1,000,000 and you chose to leave 10% of the net value to a charity such as Giggleswick (£67,500), the cost of your donation to your other beneficiaries would only be £16,200.

If you already have a Will

If you already have a Will

If you already have a Will you may not need to write a new one in order to include a gift to Giggleswick School Foundation. You can make amendments without having to re-write an existing Will by adding a Codicil. You can download this Codicil form to see our suggested Codicil wording. We always advise that you speak to a solicitor when writing or re-writing your Will.

An increasingly popular measure is also to include a Letter of Wishes, which directs your executors to make provisions from your estate without altering the terms of your will. It is morally but not legally binding.

Our commitment to you

We appreciate how important this gift is to you and understand that there will be many things in your personal circumstances that you need to consider when making a gift in your Will.

We would like you to know that we are committed to using your gift efficiently and, as directed by you, with care and the utmost respect and sensitivity. If it is right to do so we would very much like to involve you in the conversation as to how your legacy may be used to the long term benefit of the school.

We understand that the contents of your Will are a private matter. However, should you wish to let us know of your intention to leave a gift to Giggleswick School Foundation, we would like to thank you for your support. To show our appreciation, we invite those who have pledged a gift in their Will to become members of the 1512 Society, which holds special events at the school each year and keeps its members up to date with developments at the school.

What to do next

If you have decided to make a gift to Giggleswick in your Will and would like to discuss it in confidence, please complete the form below.
We are grateful if you would submit the Pledge Form as this is helpful to us and we would not wish your commitment to go unrecognised; however this is not a formal requirement.
It is always advisable to consult a solicitor when making or amending a will. You may wish to have your solicitor witness a codicil and to lodge a Letter of Wishes with the Will.

Please note, these are guidelines for your support.

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