Tag: charity

Making an Impact: Our 250 Charity Days Initiative with The Mustard Tree

March 17, 2023, By Michael Duckworth

This year, we launched our “250 Charity days for 250 Years” initiative with a flying start. This initiative gives all our employees a paid day off to volunteer at a local charity or organisation so we can give back to our communities.

In February, we sent nine volunteers to The Mustard Tree in Ancoats to support their incredible work in combatting poverty in the Greater Manchester area. Our volunteers got involved with a few of their many services that provide food, furniture, education and community to those struggling with housing insecurity in the local area, including stocking shelves at their community shop, and offloading furniture donations from their vans.

While we were there, we were able to sit down with Volunteering & Social Value Manager, Will Hall, to discuss the important work they do, and how individuals and businesses can get involved and make a difference in their community.

If you would like to support The Mustard Tree you can find more information on their website. If you would like to keep up to date with their work you can follow them on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn, or even subscribe to their YouTube channel.

Rugby League Cares Raises over £36,000 on 6-day USA Bike Ride

June 20, 2022, By Slater Heelis

Our Charity Partners Rugby League Cares have raised over £36,000 to fund their ongoing work to support current and former players in their wellbeing and lives both on and off the pitch. We’re extremely proud to have sponsored them on this fantastic fundraising feat!

In early June, a group of 18 individuals, including high profile former Rugby League Internationals and others seeking the challenge and experience of a lifetime, took on the UK Red Empire State 500.

The Route

The UK Red Empire State 500 is an epic 520-mile bike ride from Niagara Falls to Central Park, New York.

The challenge lasted 6 days. From the famous Niagara Falls, they followed the historic Erie Canal to the state capital of New York, Albany, before heading south along the Hudson River on sections of the Appalachian Trail.

Along the route they passed the ancestral homelands of the native American Iroquois, Sioux and Algonquin tribes, through Amish communities, seeing small town America like never before.

The adventure concluded with a ride through the Bronx, Harlem and along Broadway into Manhattan to finish in the iconic Central Park.

Slater Heelis was a kit sponsor for the bike ride and followed the team through their online documenting of the bucket list adventure on social media.

The Fundraising Total

On the day the cyclists arrived at the finish line in Manhattan, they hit 100% of the fundraising target and since then, the funds have continued to come in. As it stands, they are currently at an incredible total of £36,853 – still with more time for people to donate to congratulate their efforts.

To donate to the cause, you can head to their JustGiving page here.

The entire total raised on the UK Red Empire State 500 will go a long way to helping with the player welfare that the charity is known for but now also the community projects like Offload and Ahead of the Game which can benefit everyone in the great sport of Rugby League.

Keith Senior, Community & Welfare Support Manager at Rugby League Cares, said:

“First of all, we need to pay a massive congratulation to John Ledger for all the hard work he has put into making this happen, ably assisted by Tracey Barr and Catherine Maddy. The ride was a massive challenge for me personally as the knees aren’t getting any younger, but seeing individuals like Neville Smith who was the oldest of the gang battle through his own demons shows the grit and determination of the group as a whole. Plus, everyone finished, which was a first. This was the toughest and longest ride we have ever done for RL Cares’

Our Partnership

Over the last two years RL Cares has made a positive impact on the lives of more people than ever before and the funds raised on the ride will allow them to keep making a difference where it matters most.

We are into our second year of our partnership with Rugby League Cares, providing legal support in all aspects of the personal elements and business matters of those involved in, or retired from, Rugby League. Further info can be found in our services for sports professionals area.

We are honoured to have been able to be part of this mega fundraising effort and look forward to supporting Rugby League Cares in many more events and challenged in the future!

Leaving a charitable gift in your Will

December 6, 2021, By Alex Sealy

Leaving a charitable gift in your Will is one of the best ways you can support a charity. This type of funding is often one of their main sources of income and has kept many charities afloat in recent years. In fact, by 2030, legacy income is expected to reach £5bn a year.

With many charities not receiving any government funding, donations of this sort are incredibly important.

In this post, we will outline some of the most frequently asked questions about leaving money for charity in your Will.

How can I leave a charitable gift in my Will?

There are two main ways to leave a charitable gift in your Will. These are to:

Specify any charities you wish to benefit from your Will
Let the executors of your Will decide

If you choose the former, it is best to include their registered charity number. This will help avoid confusion if another charity has a similar name or if the name of the charity changes. You could leave them a legacy e.g. a set amount of money, or a share of your residuary estate e.g. a percentage of the final pot.

If you choose the latter, it may be a good idea to leave instructions to help guide your trustees. However, do note that this may not be legally binding if it is not contained in the Will.

What can I give to charity in my Will?

Your gift to a charity does not need to be a sum of money. You may wish to leave a particular item, such as a piece of jewellery, or perhaps you wish to leave a portion of your property. Although, do note the charity is likely to need to sell the asset to be able to benefit from the funds.

Do I need to pay tax on my charitable gift?

Any gift you make to UK charities is free from inheritance tax (IHT) and it could mitigate your tax liability overall. When you leave at least 10% of your estate to charity, the inheritance tax liability of the rest of your estate falls from 40% to 36%.

If, however, you wish to leave a gift to a charity outside the UK, the situation may become more complicated. Get in touch for more information.

Can I specify what I would like the charity to do with my gift?

You can specify what you would like the charity to do with you gift, however it is always best to discuss your wishes verbally with the charity, before putting it in writing.

There have been cases of charities refusing a gift as they could not meet the requirements in the Will. Ensure both you and the charity have come to a sound agreement.

Is it possible for family members to dispute the gift left in my Will?

Under the Inheritance Act, family members may have grounds to dispute your charitable gift if it did not make sufficient financial provision for them.

They could also argue that at the time of writing the Will, you were under the influence, or lacked the mental capacity to make your own decisions. Learn more about if and when a will can be contested.

Get advice

If you are looking for advice on leaving a charitable gift in your Will, then give our specialist Wills & Probate team a ring on 0161 969 3131 or fill in our contact form and one of the team will be in touch.

Our trusted and experienced solicitors know that writing a Will is one of the most important decisions you will make, and will ensure your money goes where it is intended.