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Gransnetters share the legacy they'd like to leave when they're gone with Cancer Research UK

(262 Posts)
LucyBGransnet (GNHQ) Mon 20-Jan-20 10:31:36

This sponsored discussion is now closed. Thank you to everyone who shared their thoughts on this thread.

As we get older, we often think about what our legacy will be; what memories, relationships or objects we leave behind to reflect how we’d like to be remembered. Making a Will is a way to communicate those wishes and the things that are important to someone are often reflected by the things they include. Cancer Research UK would love to hear what matters to you when you think about your legacy.

Here’s what Cancer Research UK has to say: “We know that when writing a Will, your friends and family should always come first. Once they’re taken care of, if you have even just a small gift leftover to leave for Cancer Research UK, this will still make a huge difference. We know from meeting our wonderful supporters that people have left us a gift in their Will because they are passionate about helping to beat cancer and want to continue when they are gone.”

What have you thought about leaving behind? Have you detailed this in a Will? Would you consider leaving a gift to charity in your Will? Would Cancer Research UK be a consideration? How would you like people to remember you when you’re gone?

All who share their thoughts and experiences on the thread below will be entered into a prize draw where 1 lucky GNer will win a £300 voucher for a store of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck,
GNHQ

Insight T&Cs apply

*If you'd like to find out more about CRUK’s Free Will Service and legacy gifts please click here

M0nica Mon 20-Jan-20 17:03:51

We have set aside a fixed proportion of our estate to go to charity. However we have not specified which charity, giving complete discretion to our children to make that decision, bearing in mind their knowledge of the individual charities or types of charity we support at the time of our deaths.

We revise our will roughly every 10 - 15 years and a lot can happen in that time and we may have stopped supporting one charity and chosen to support a different one, or we may have moved the main field of our charitable giving from, say, helping the homeless, to helping loneliness in older people and we would want our charitable legacy to reflect that

It will also stop my children from being hounded by the charity specifically named in the will, who can sometimes appear to be a bit too anxious to get their donation if their are any delays in settling the estate.

Lorelei Mon 20-Jan-20 17:36:58

I wrote my will many years ago and am currently in the process of writing an updated version. I don't have anything of value to leave and no real assets, but think everybody should make a will regardless of how much, or how little, they have to leave. There is a small paragraph that states if I were to come into any money via inheritance (unlikely) or lottery/competition wins then a small percentage would be donated to charity. I have named 2 local animal rescue charities, our local hospice and for other wildlife charities to be considered if there was a large sum. I would consider cancer research as it is something that touches most families directly or indirectly at some stage; COPD research, mental health support and support for young people leaving the 'care' system are also issues I would bear in mind if I had 'spare' cash. I will have to think very carefully about the wording before signing a 'final' draft/copy - this is very probably the last time I will write a will!

I have a very small family and a few other loved ones, all of them are aware of the type of things I would and would not support. My ongoing chronic health problems mean we have talked about these type of issues more than once and between my will and the 'Living Will' I have made I trust my wishes would be respected.

Izabella Mon 20-Jan-20 21:34:56

we would love to leave something to cancer research but sadly our monies will go to funding Alzheimers care and that wont last long!

annodomini Mon 20-Jan-20 22:56:04

I lost my mother to cancer, but I am more inclined to leave money (if I have any left) to Motor Neurone Disease research as I lost my dear sister to this horrible disease.

Doodle Mon 20-Jan-20 23:03:02

We will not be leaving any money to charity as we are leaving whatever we have to our children. However, while we are alive, we support several charities with regular monthly donations. Cancer UK is one of those charities.

SusieWilkinson Tue 21-Jan-20 00:24:25

I've been meaning to write some kind of will for a long time, but I really have no idea what I want to do with my property. My partner has 3 grown up children, but I don't have any and the property we live in is mine. If I discuss it with my partner he will expect me to leave everything to his children, but I don't want to as they don't bother with me at all and I don't think getting an inheritance is a 'right', their father has not put any money towards anything that I own, so I don't feel I have any obligation.
Quite possibly Dog's Trust will benefit from my death as we have a dog from there and I really respect the work they do, but I it's so hard to get started.

NotSpaghetti Tue 21-Jan-20 05:45:32

We have no charities named in our wills.
We support some at the moment and feel that works for us.
I don’t think I’d want to include a charity in my will.
We have, however made substantial (to us) donations in the past and are going to make another later this year.
We have as a family done some successful fundraising for charities too so I suppose I see my charitable giving as part of life, rather than a “giveaway” at the end.

BBbevan Tue 21-Jan-20 05:48:06

Everything we leave will go to our children and grandchildren. We give quite a lot to charity now.

TwiceAsNice Tue 21-Jan-20 06:20:57

I have made a will and everything goes to my two daughters equally. There is no provision to charity within the will. I make DD donations each month to two charities. One is to a local Leukaemia charity for children , which is linked to Cancer . My son died of Leukaemia in childhood and the charity is linked to the hospital where he was treated

jane1956 Tue 21-Jan-20 06:30:33

I Hope my love of music is remembered by my grandchildren
know they think it is rubbish and not to their taste, but would be good if the listened to 60s and 70s once in a while. Also hope they remember how much I have helped them over the years,with cash and advice

sophie56 Tue 21-Jan-20 06:38:48

I have left my estate to my son and he gives a lot of his income to charity based on an analysis of most benefit for every pound given (Effective Altruisms - Giving What We can). So although I have left some money to charity, most is going to my son but I know that he will probably give a lot away.

I would like to be remembered as kind which is how I remember my Grandmother

emmal01 Tue 21-Jan-20 06:44:40

I’ll leave everything to my daughter
I donate to charity regularly now

alabaster Tue 21-Jan-20 06:47:49

A better world for others through my mentoring, support and time

Lindsey29 Tue 21-Jan-20 06:49:33

I cant imagine there will be anything left, after paying for care. Unless I die at a relatively young old. #justbeinghonest

kamoc Tue 21-Jan-20 06:52:06

I havent got a will so I should really sort that out

AR2127 Tue 21-Jan-20 06:59:40

My will leaves everything to my family. They can decide where it goes. Ultimately with how the world is i want to ensure their lives are a little easier.

mummyinbeccles Tue 21-Jan-20 07:20:54

I will leave everything to my daughters.

lornajk Tue 21-Jan-20 07:36:50

I will be leaving everything to my only son, will written a few years ago. I hadn't honestly thought about leaving to charity in my will as I have a few direct debits to charities that go out of the bank regularly, and you always think that's enough. Maybe I should think about that!

sscrase Tue 21-Jan-20 08:05:54

2 things, to be able to leave my children with a solid financial base for their lives and to be remembered by my family with love and respect.

Marydoll Tue 21-Jan-20 08:13:44

We recently updated our wills and organised Lasting power of attorney,
There is a provision in our will for a donation to Mary's Meals, which we regularly support as well as BHF.
There is also a bequest to our DGD and the rest will be divided equally among our three children.

My recent health scare was the push we needed, as our wills were out of date. We had been putting it off, but DS1 was sorting his affairs out, so we just used the same firm.

NiCH Tue 21-Jan-20 08:21:09

I support several charities now, but in my will I have not named any charities and will probably not. I would like our hard earned money benefit the future of our two children. It is important that they are not aware of our intention, so that they understand that they work hard and manage their own finance without any reliance of money coming from us.

Helsbells68 Tue 21-Jan-20 08:31:32

We have left everything to our son but he has a will in place leaving everything to charity.

Monkeykv Tue 21-Jan-20 08:32:03

I hope people remember me being kind and caring, and my loud infectious laugh.

clairewoods137 Tue 21-Jan-20 08:32:12

I like my legacy to be as someone who was kind and helped others. I think George Michael left a great legacy as someone who was kind.

I'd leave whatever I had to my son but don't think that would be much. No, I don't think I'd leave to charity unless I was rich.

I haven't made a will.