Leaving a Legacy
Remembering the Museum in your Will
If you have a love for the sport of rowing, for the River Thames or for the town of Henley on Thames, or if you wish to assist the educational activities of the Museum, then please consider leaving a legacy to the River & Rowing Museum Foundation.
You may not have thought of including the River & Rowing Museum in your Will but legacies are a vital source of income for the Museum. They enable us to plan for the future and help us to continue our education and Museum work.
Areas of Museum work you can benefit
There may be a specific area of the Museum’s work that you want to help, if so you will need to make a note in the wording of your bequest. Please consider one of the following areas that your legacy could be used to help:
• Rowing – History and gallery matters
• Thames – History and gallery matters
• The town of Henley on Thames – History and gallery matters
• Educational activities & events
• General Museum activities
Tax Efficient
A gift to the River & Rowing Museum can be highly tax-effective, as charities are exempt from inheritance tax. Bequests to charities could therefore help relieve some of the tax burden from the remainder of your estate. If you have already made a Will, you can add a Codicil to include additional gifts.
If you are thinking of making a gift to the River & Rowing Museum, you can choose to leave:
- A Residuary Bequest
This is when you bequest all or part of your estate once your family and friends have been provided for and all bills and taxes have been paid.
- A Pecuniary Bequest
This is when you want to leave a specific sum to the Museum. It can be index linked to maintain its value.
Suggested Wording for Your Will:
Should you wish to leave a legacy to the River & Rowing Museum, you will need to include the following details in your Will:
- For a Residuary Bequest
‘I give all (or amount %) of the residue of my estate to the River & Rowing Museum of Mill Meadows Henley on Thames (registered charity 1001051) to be used for its general charitable purposes. I further direct that the receipt of the Honorary Treasurer or other appointed officer shall be sufficient discharge to my executors.’
- For a Pecuniary Bequest
‘I give the sum of £ amount, figures and words to the River & Rowing Museum of Mill Meadows Henley on Thames (registered charity 1001051) to be used for its general charitable purposes. I further direct that the receipt of the Honorary Treasurer or other appointed officer shall be sufficient discharge to my executors.’
These examples are suggestions only and we recommend that you consult a legal advisor. If you wish to leave the bequest for a specific area of the Museum’s work you will need to specify this. Forms for self-completion can be obtained from main street stationers.
Thank you
A bequest is possibly the most personal gift anyone can make to the Museum and through it you can make a lasting contribution. Because of this we record and recognise all such gifts in our Book of Remembrance.
Object Donations
The River & Rowing Museum is delighted to be left particular items in Wills. However the additional costs of restoring and displaying these items can place a considerable strain on the Museum’s financial resources. We therefore ask you to write to the Collections Manager at the Museum providing us with as much information as possible before including an item in your Will.
What Next?
Whilst we are committed to respecting your privacy, we hope that you are able to share your wishes with us. Informing us of your intentions to leave a gift to the River & Rowing Museum in your Will allows us to plan for the future knowing that we have your continued support. Naturally, this pledge is simply a statement and is by no means legally binding. All information will of course be kept confidential. If you would like to discuss this further please use the contact us form.