Leave a gift in your Will

Our vision could be your legacy

If our vision of A World Free from MND is to be realised, while also providing the best possible care and support for people affected by MND, then we must continue to raise the necessary substantial income to meet the costs involved.

We rely almost entirely on voluntary donations, of which gifts left to us by our supporters in their Wills (legacies) have accounted for almost a third of our income over the last decade.

After providing for family and friends, leaving a legacy to the MND Association in your Will is a tremendous and thoughtful way of supporting our work and is exempt from inheritance tax.

How your legacy will help people affected by MND

• Legacies of all values are essential in maintaining the firm financial base that supports our range of services for those living with MND, their families and carers.
• They make a major contribution to the funding of world leading research programmes that are seeking to develop new treatments and, one day, a cure for MND. We are currently supporting 61 research projects and have invested over £18 million over the last decade in research.
• But that’s not all. Legacies also help us fund:
  • 19 Care Centres with plans to increase to 22. Last year 75% of people living with MND (3,500 people) accessed one of these Care Centres
  • MND Connect – our helpline offering expert information and support on all aspects of MND. In the past year our helpline team responded to more than 7,000 requests for help by phone and email
  • Information – We publish a large range of factsheets and publications. Our ground breaking guide talking openly and honestly about end of life, won the coveted BMA Award for patient information of the year
  • Our dedicated team of 300 Association Visitors are specially trained volunteers who offer information, practical and emotional support to families coping with MND. Last year they supported 1,000 people with MND, their families and careers with home visits, telephone calls, emails, texts and regular meetings
  • Equipment loan also includes financial support grants and wheelchair service. We provide specialist equipment and funding to help people with MND remain in their home and stay independent for as long as possible
  • Campaigning and raising awareness programme – seeking to increase knowledge about MND across wider society but also aimed directly at influencers and key decision makers in the corridors of power in the Government and NHS. For example, our Charter, presented to the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street, gathered 33,630 signatures

Without legacies, we could not maintain the same high level of investment in research or the breadth and quality of our care and support services.

How to leave a gift in your Will

• Leaving a legacy to the MND Association in a new or existing Will, is straightforward to do and is exempt from inheritance tax
• To make your Will, we strongly advise that you make an appointment with a solicitor. You should not try to write your own Will or use someone who is not properly qualified
• If you do not have one already, The Law Society can help you find a solicitor in your area
• To help you prepare for the meeting with you solicitor, we’ve prepared a simple, useful Will Preparation Form that you can use to ensure that you have all the information you will need
• If you wish, we can record your legacy pledge (the act of including a legacy in your Will) within a new or existing MND Association Tribute Fund. When we eventually receive the gift, its value will be included within the Fund’s overall fundraising total together with all the other gifts and donations received
• If you have already remembered the MND Association in your Will, thank you! If you haven’t told us, please consider letting us know by completing our online Pledge Form. This will help us to avoid approaching you again in the future and also save the costs involved

We understand that decisions surrounding Wills and legacies are not taken lightly. Which is why, only after family and friends have been remembered, do we ask you to consider leaving a legacy to support our vital work.

Further information

We would be delighted to send you a copy of our Legacy Information Pack which explains more about the preparation of Wills and legacies. It also  illustrates our plan for achieving our vision of a world free from MND and the progress we are making towards our goal thanks to the support of people like you. Please call us on 01604 611860 or email us if you would like a pack or if you would like to discuss any aspect of leaving a legacy.