WGS Legacy Brochure

"Having the opportunity to attend Withington changed the direction of my life. Giving someone a bursary is about giving them the confidence and a chance to believe in themselves. It means you are opening doors for girls who may not otherwise reach their full potential. I’ve never forgotten what the Bursary scheme did for me and how it has enabled me to develop. Without it, who knows where I might be?"

FORMER WGS BURSARY RECIPIENT

Now a lawyer with a top London law firm

Thank you for considering making a gift in your Will to WGS. In doing so, you will be transforming the life of a young woman with potential by offering her the opportunity to shine through the gift of a Withington education.

Our immediate aim is to increase our bursary provision from 1 in 6 Senior School students to 1 in 5. This means providing funding for an additional 10 to 12 bursaries. Longer term, our aim remains to achieve a ‘needs-blind’ admissions policy. By leaving a gift in your Will you will join us in helping to make this goal a reality.

Leaving your legacy as an unrestricted gift, to be applied at the discretion of the school, ensures that your gift will be applied where it is needed most. You can direct your support to the Marjorie Hulme Bursary Fund or let us know if there is another specific way you would like your gift to be applied.

If you decide to let us know that you have left a legacy to Withington, you will be invited to become part of the Emily Simon Society so that we can thank you during your lifetime.

"By supporting and donating to the Bursary Fund, you are not just giving money to the school. Instead, you are nurturing girls to become amazing, confident young women who feel capable of doing anything. By donating you are inspiring a generation to feel that they are empowered and able to achieve anything that they put their mind to."

Deputy Head Girl & Bursary Recipient

MAISIE

Former

HOW TO MAKE A GIFT IN YOUR WILL

We know that taking care of those you love must be your first priority and we wouldn’t have it any other way. Once you have provided for them, leaving a gift in your Will to Withington, however big or small, will have a profound impact.

If you are drawing up your Will for the first time or writing a new Will, you will need to include the details of the WGS Trust as the beneficiary:

WGS Trust

c/o Withington Girls' School

100 Wellington Road

Fallowfield

Manchester

M14 6BL

Registered Charity Number 505207

There are different kinds of gifts that you can make:

• A share of your estate (Residuary Gift): Once you've worked out what you're leaving to family and friends, you can donate a share, or all of what's left to WGS. It has more flexibility than a pecuniary bequest (see below) because you do not have to quantify the sum or take inflation, or any other costs you may incur in later life, into account when you draw up your Will.

• A specific sum of money (Pecuniary Gift): A pecuniary bequest is a gift of a specific sum of money to a named beneficiary, in this case the WGS Trust. As the value of a specific sum would decrease over time owing to inflation, it is possible to index-link the sum so that it maintains its current-day value.

• A Reversionary Gift: This is a way of providing for your family first and then benefitting WGS. It involves leaving the assets to trustees so that the named beneficiaries can enjoy the income during their lifetime, with the whole or a portion reverting to WGS on their death.

• A Conditional Gift: This provides for the eventuality that if none of your named dependants survive you, your estate will be left to other named beneficiaries and charities including the WGS Trust.

• A specific legacy/Gifts in Kind: This involves leaving a specific personal possession to the school: examples include property, jewellery, antiques, works of art, stocks and shares.

Example wording when making your Will and leaving a gift to WGS is included with this pack.

*When making changes to your Will we would always recommend consulting your solicitor or legal advisor.

"During my time as a pupil, Withington was a Direct Grant school so there were a large number of girls who either had a ‘free place’ or a bursary. When my father’s ill health meant that our family’s financial circumstances deteriorated significantly, we were fortunate to receive bursary support. As a result, my two sisters and I were all able to benefit from the wonderful start our Withington education gave us. That ensured we all went on to have successful careers and to achieve financial independence. These days, with substantial fees to pay each year, it’s even more important that Withington can provide bursaries to o er the same opportunity of a first-class education to as many bright but financially disadvantaged girls as possible.

For this reason, I have decided to include the Bursary Fund in my Will, to give back as much as I can to help the girls of the future - what goes around, comes around, as they say."

ADDING A CODICIL TO YOUR WILL

If you already have a Will and subsequently decide you would like to leave a gift to Withington, then you can make a separate amendment known as a codicil. This is made separately to your Will and then kept alongside it. A codicil adding a gift does not change the terms of your current Will but adds a new instruction. Please note that a codicil should be signed, dated and witnessed in the same way as if you were making a Will.

A codicil form is included with this pack.

UK TAX IMPLICATIONS

Inheritance Tax is payable following your death if your estate is worth more than a certain amount after your liabilities have been deducted.

The WGS Trust is a registered charity and any bequests that you make in your Will are exempt from Inheritance Tax. Bequests made to the WGS Trust would be deducted from your overall estate, reducing the amount of Inheritance Tax your estate incurs.

More information and an example can be found on a leaflet included with this pack.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND

We understand that circumstances may change, and you are always free to change your mind. You can amend your Will either by re-writing it or adding a codicil at any time.

*When making changes to your Will we would always recommend consulting your solicitor or legal advisor.

"The main event of the school year 1919 - 1920 has been Mrs. Henry Simon's gi t of the playing fields. Since the foundation of the Withington Girls' School in 1890, Mrs. Simon's interest and help have been unfailing. Her faith and vision have been invaluable in times of di culty, and she has rejoiced over all that led to the school's prosperity. The School past and present o er her heartfelt thanks for her a ectionate generosity."

MISS GRANT Headmistress, writing in 1919-20 School Newsletter

Your Will is personal to you. If you prefer not to share details of your Will, we understand fully. However, if you do choose to tell us about any planned gifts to WGS, it means we can meet your wishes, keep you updated and, most importantly, say thank you.

If you decide to leave a legacy to Withington, we would be very grateful if you would notify us using the pledge form in this pack. It is not legally binding to do so but is enormously valuable to help us to plan for the future.

Following your pledge, we can then invite you to become a member of the Emily Simon Society. Emily was one of the Founders of Withington Girls’ School and was a strong supporter of educating women and of WGS throughout her lifetime. She gifted the playing fields to the school in 1920. Four of Withington’s previous Headmistresses are currently patrons of the society. Members are invited to attend an annual private lunch at the school which provides an opportunity to enjoy the company of like-minded supporters of Withington, to hear about the school’s latest developments and to meet current pupils and staff.

PHYL WGS alumna and former parent

"I really encourage you to think about leaving a legacy. For me it has provided an opportunity to give something back. Please speak to your family about it first; life can change and your family are your first consideration. But, the women in our family have built su cient wealth through our excellent education and careers, which enables me to leave a legacy for the benefit of others."

CONTACT US

Thank you for considering making a gift in your Will to Withington. Every gift, no matter the size, really does make a difference and helps to change a life.

If there is anything you would like to discuss further, or any questions that we can help with, please get in touch with Lesley Dowdall, Director of Development, on ldowdall@wgs.org or 0161 249 3491.