Leaving a legacy

The Microbiology Society is a registered charity with the vision of a world in which the science of microbiology provides maximum benefit to society. By remembering the Society in your Will you can help us to support the future of microbiology and the next generation of microbiologists.

Bequests can be made for a general purpose, which will allow the funds to be used by the Society as needed. However, if you wish to leave a legacy for a specific purpose, perhaps to support one of our grant schemes, we would be delighted to discuss your bequest.

If you have any questions about leaving a gift to the Society in your Will, please contact Joanne Manning, Chief Operations Officer at [email protected].

We strongly suggest that you contact a solicitor or a member of the Institute of Professional Willwriters (IPW) to write or amend your Will. They will be able to provide the best advice on the type of legacy you would like to give and on the correct wording.

Please ensure that any legacy to us includes our full name 'Microbiology Society', and 'Registered Charity Number 264017' as this will avoid any doubt about our identity. If you wish, you can also include our current address '14–16 Meredith Street, London EC1R 0AB, UK'.

There are three main types of gift.

Pecuniary legacy: A specific sum, which can be index-linked to safeguard its future value.
Specific legacy: A particular item to be used or sold by the beneficiary.
Residuary legacy: Part, or all, of your estate (after debts, funeral costs and pecuniary gifts are paid).

Examples of the wording that could be used for both Pecuniary legacies and Specific legacies are below. We strongly recommend that you seek legal advice for the wording that you would need to use for a Residuary legacy.

Pecuniary legacy

I GIVE:-

£ [insert amount in numbers] ([insert amount in words] pounds) to the Microbiology Society (Registered Charity Number 264017) of 14–16 Meredith Street, London EC1R 0AB, UK to be applied for its general purposes.

AND I DIRECT that

The receipt of the person holds the position of Treasurer or other proper office for the time being of the above mentioned charity shall be a complete discharge to my Executors.

If, before my death the above mentioned charity has changed its name or amalgamated with, or transferred all its assets to any other body, then my Executors shall give effect to the gift as if it has been made to the body in its changed name or to the body which results from the amalgamation or to which the transfer has been made.

The wording above could be used in a Will or Codicil. If you are updating an existing Will you can choose either to make a completely new Will, or a Codicil which would set out changes to your existing Will and will be read alongside it.

Specific legacy

I GIVE:-

[Insert description of the item] to the Microbiology Society (Registered Charity Number 264017) of 14–16 Meredith Street, London EC1R 0AB, UK to applied for its general purposes.

AND I DIRECT that

The receipt of the person holds the position of Treasurer or other proper office for the time being of the above mentioned charity shall be a complete discharge to my Executors.

Residuary legacy

Your solicitor or member of the Institute of Professional Willwriters would be able to provide more detailed advice on these types of bequest and recommend wording for a residuary legacy.

Other types of legacy

A conditional legacy can be made to cover the eventuality that you outlive all your named dependants, in which case the legacy is made to charity rather than them. A life interest (reversionary) trust can be made so that your named dependants benefit during their lifetime, either by using the asset or getting the income from it, with the charity receiving the asset after they have died.

Your solicitor or member of the Institute of Professional Willwriters would be able to provide more detailed advice on these types of bequest.