Legacy Project Booklet & inserts by Caroline Smith / Peninsula Design

A gift that will last

Writing your Will Will making guide

Your friends and family are the most important people in your life so when it comes to writing your Will they are naturally top of your list. Making a Will ensures your nearest and dearest are cared for and your wishes are fulfilled even when you’ve gone. Many people also like to leave a gift to a charity that is dear to them, such as The Air Ambulance Service. We know how daunting writing your Will can be but it is essential. To try to make it easier for you we’ve put together a step-by-step guide for you which includes all the information you need when writing your Will. Whether you’re starting from scratch or simply updating it, it needn’t be difficult. We’re here to help you every step of the way to make it as simple and stress-free as possible. When writing your Will we thoroughly recommend that you seek sound professional advice from a solicitor

to ensure that your Will is legal and exactly how you want it.

If you have already made a Will

If you have already made a Will and have decided to leave a gift to The Air Ambulance Service you can do so by making a simple addition called a Codicil. Advise your solicitor of your wishes and they will do the necessary paperwork. We’re extremely grateful to you for choosing to support us.

If you have not made a Will

If you do not have a Will at the moment, it is advisable to see a solicitor. Before doing so it is a good idea to make a list of your assets and to check the value of your estate. You can then determine how you wish your estate to be divided. We’ve put together a straightforward ‘How-to’ guide to help you break down everything you own and gather all the relevant information together to make writing your Will as easy as possible.

Why do I need a Will?

The main reason for leaving a Will is to feel safe in the knowledge that loved ones are cared for and your final wishes are granted. Without a Will many complications can occur for your families at a time that is already very upsetting and difficult for them. Writing a Will ensures all the special people in your life are looked after as well as any charities you hold close to your heart, if you so wish.

Planning your Will

Here are all the things you need to consider before writing your Will: Firstly, put together a list of all your assets to give you a good idea of your overall estate – you can use our simple Will Checklist to help you. n Make a list of everything you owe such as any outstanding mortgage, bills or loans, as well as a list of anything you are owed. n

Decide who will be your Executors – these are trusted named people in your Will that promise to carry out your exact wishes. n Draw up a list of all the people you want to remember in your Will so you can make sure your loved ones are taken care of. You may also like to include a list of charities that you would like to leave a gift to. n Find a professional to check through all the legal formalities to make sure your Will is legitimate. n Finally, once your Will is written up and finalised you must keep it safe. Only your original Will is valid – copies are not legally accepted, so be sure to keep your Will safe. You can ask your bank, solicitor or Will writer if they can store it for you (this will come at a cost); alternatively the Probate Registry in London can safeguard it for you. n

Writing a Will ensures all the special people in your life are looked after as well as any charities you hold close to your heart, if you so wish.

Leaving a gift in your Will Why leave a gift to The Air Ambulance Service?

Many people choose to leave a gift in their Will to a charity that is dear to them; it’s a way to reaffirm your support even when you’ve gone. We’re so very grateful that you are thinking about leaving us a gift in your Will. Relying entirely on voluntary donations from members of the public, The Air Ambulance Service can only provide its quality lifesaving service with your support. We save over 2,000 people every year from road traffic accidents to heart attacks, industrial accidents to sport injuries – with your gift we can continue to save and change many more lives.

What are the different types of Gifts in Wills? Pecuniary gift - give a fixed amount gift, e.g. ‘I wish to leave £1,000 to The Air Ambulance Service’. Residuary gift - leave a share, or the whole of an estate once you

have provided for your loved ones or any other commitments you wish to make i.e. ‘I wish to leave 50% of the remainder of my estate to The Air Ambulance Service’. Specific gift – you can leave a specific gift such as a piece of jewellery, antique or the contents of your house. You will need to describe the item in detail so the executors can easily identify the item you have chosen to leave. Tell your solicitor which type of legacy you wish to leave and he/ she will advise you of the correct wording.

Can I leave a gift for something specific such as a particular piece of medical equipment? We would be very grateful if your gifts were made unconditionally so that we can use your gift as best we see fit. This way we can use your gift to go towards items we really need.

Your gift, no matter how big or small, can make a huge difference, we promise to use your gift in the very best way for the benefit of our patients. We can assure you that we will treat you and your loved ones with the greatest of respect and sensitivity.

The people you can help Your gift can be the difference between life and death. If it wasn’t for the generous gifts in Wills and voluntary donations made by people like you we might not have been able to save the lives of people like Richard and Mark. “I didn’t know this at the time but I’d suffered life threatening, time critical injuries. I’d broken my back and almost all of my ribs, punctured a lung, severely injured my leg and I was suffering from internal injuries.

Richard’s story

After my leg had been splinted I was strapped onto a spinal board to prevent any further injury, I was given pain relief and then airlifted to University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire.

Mechanic Richard Simmonds was repairing a lorry when it slipped on him, crushing him and pinning him to the ground. Here he explains the role that The Air Ambulance Service (TAAS) played on this day and why he will always be grateful to them:

The reassurance the paramedic gave me on the journey is something that will stay with me for the rest of my life. It is thanks to their treatment on the scene and the incredible speed in which they got me to a major trauma centre that I’m here today. I will be forever in their debt.”

“They gave me the chance to see my grandchildren grow up”

were able to re-inflate his collapsed lung using a chest drain kit, apply a pelvic splint to prevent further damage, and immobilised him onto a scoop stretcher.

Mark’s story

Mark Chamberlain knows more than most just how valuable the work is that TAAS do. On 6th October 2011, Mark’s life was left hanging in the balance after he was in a head on car crash on the A426 near Rugby. Mark recalls: “It started off as just a typical day, but around 16:00 my life was changed when my Peugeot collided with a Ford Mondeo. Unfortunately the Mondeo won and I was left with life threatening injuries. I was in a bad way. I’d suffered a collapsed lung, a broken back, had damaged an arm and a knee, and most seriously of all I had a bleed to my brain and internal stomach injuries.” Before TAAS could fly Mark to hospital, they had to treat his life threatening injuries. Thanks to the equipment they had on board, they

Because of the serious nature of Mark’s injuries, it was vital that he was taken to a hospital that was specially equipped to deal with trauma injuries so he was flown to University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire. Thankfully Mark has gone on to make a good recovery, but he knows it could have been different: “I received such great care from everyone in hospital, but I truly believe that if it was not for the quick response and professional care that I received from the Air Ambulance, I would not be here today. It’s been a long journey for me but I am on the road to recovery. Every time I see an Air Ambulance fly over I get quite emotional. I never thought that I would need the help of an Air Ambulance, but I am so happy that the help was there when I needed it.”

How your gift can help Here are some examples of how your gift could be used:

£200

could buy 2 vacuum splints and a pump

£2500

could pay for a mini defibrillator

£1400

can pay for a lifesaving mission

£8500

can pay for a day of rescue missions

Want to leave us a gift in your Will?

Thank you so much for deciding to leave a gift in your Will to us – we’re very grateful. Once you have decided on the gift you wish to make all you need to do is advise your solicitor of the following important facts: n

The name of the charity is The Air Ambulance Service

The registered charity number is 1098874

The registered address is Hazell House, Burnthurst Lane, Princethorpe, CV23 9QA.

Please leave your gift for ‘general charitable purposes’ as this will allow us to use your gift in the most appropriate manner.

Tax

A gift to a registered charity such as The Air Ambulance Service is ALWAYS free from inheritance tax so if you decide to leave us a gift in your Will this will reduce any tax you have to pay. Most gifts made during your lifetime are tax-free, as long as you make them at least seven years before your death. If you do not, inheritance tax may be taken from all that you own above the current threshold amount.

About us The Air Ambulance Service prides itself on its forward thinking ethos and provides the highest quality service. Our main aim is to prevent loss of life and help the sick and injured. TAAS is the umbrella organisation for The Children’s Air Ambulance; a national transfer service for seriously ill babies and children, and two Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS); Warwickshire &

Northamptonshire Air Ambulance (WNAA) and Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Air Ambulance (DLRAA). We receive no Government or National Lottery support – we rely entirely on our incredible supporters who give us donations and leave gifts in their Wills. Without their help we wouldn’t have a service and many lives would be lost.

Please contact one of our team who can help and guide you with any questions you may have Call us on 08454 130999 Write to us at The Air Ambulance Service, Hazell House, Burnthurst Lane, Princethorpe, CV23 9QA Visit our website

www.theairambulanceservice.org.uk

The Air Ambulance Service Hazell House Burnthurst Lane Princethorpe CV23 9QA Registered Company No. 4845905 Charity No. 1098874

Jargon Buster

Don’t get bamboozled by legal terminology – use our easy glossary to find out the facts in layman’s terms: Administrator Someone to arrange a person’s affairs if they haven’t left a Will. Beneficiary A person or charity/organisation who receives a gift in a Will. Chattels All ‘moveable’ items in your possession such as vehicles and furniture. Codicil A legal addition or alteration document to your existing Will. Estate The entire value of everything your own at the time of your death. Executor (male) or executrix (female) Nominated people you have chosen to carry out your instructions in your Will when you have gone. Guardian Someone you choose to have custody of your children. Intestate If you die without a Will. Intestacy Rules on how the estate should be divided if you are intestate. Legacy A gift left to a person or charity/organisation in your Will. Life interest A two-stage legacy where you can assign one beneficiary to use a particular asset of yours until they die – then the asset will go to a second beneficiary.