In Your Will

Generation to Generation - Realising Aspirations

Since 1882 Bedford High School for Girls has given thousands of girls the opportunity of a first class all round education.  For some this has been made possible by the provision of a bursary through the Bedford Charity that manages the four independent schools of which Bedford High School for Girls is one. 

The Bedford Charity is changing the funding of bursaries so that the bursary programme is maintained or enhanced but funded by each of its schools enabling the Bedford Charity to release more resources for other activities whilst widening access to the Charity's schools

Realising Aspirations

The foremost aim of the Bedford High School Foundation is to enable the school to continue to embrace the longstanding commitment to widen the access to girls of recognisable potential but whose parents would be unable to meet the fees without financial assistance.  To meet this challenge the Foundation has created the Westaway Bursary Fund, named after the school's longest serving headmistress.  All bequests received unless otherwise stated will be placed in the Westaway Bursary Fund to help many more girls in the future benefit from the excellent education that is provided by Bedford High School for Girls.

 

Different types of legacy

A major gift during a lifetime is not always possible due to ongoing commitments. However, including a legacy in a Will can make a real difference and give advantages to both the donor and the school.  Any legacy you leave to the Bedford High School Foundation will be exempt from inheritance tax and your bequest can take the form of cash, shares or specific items such as paintings.  It is very simple to include a legacy in your Will or to add a codicil to an existing Will. 

There are four common forms of legacy

Specific Legacy - This type of gift can take any form. You can leave a specific asset or personal possession to the Bedford High School Foundation, including shares, land, property, antiques, jewellery, works of art or other valuables.

The Pecuniary Legacy - This form of legacy involves you leaving a named amount of money to the Bedford High School Foundation. With a fixed gift you need to be aware that your Will may need updating as the value of your gift over the years may fall due to inflation.

The Residuary Legacy - This allows you to protect the real value of your gift. It involves a percentage or fraction of your Estate being left to the Bedford High School Foundation, once all your specific bequests had been made.

The Reversionary Legacy - This is a way of providing for your family first. It involves your Estate (or a percentage thereof) being held in trust, with the trustees being directed to pay its income to your spouse or relative during their lifetime. Only upon their death would the Bedford High School Foundation benefit from your legacy.    

Suggested wording

I give to Bedford High School Foundation of Bedford High School for Girls, Bromham Road, Bedford MK44 1QG (Charity Registration number 1122438) a specific item /  the sum of £(amount) free of tax / the residue / a proportion of the residue of my estate for the Trustees to apply the gift to the support of the Bedford High School Foundation 

Letting us know

We would be very grateful if you could let us know if you do decide to leave a legacy to Bedford High School Foundation in your Will.  You do not need to provide details if you prefer not to and the pledge is not binding in any way.  It is just a statement of your present intention.  By clicking Downloads you will find a form that you may wish to use.

Thank you

We understand that decisions such as this are very personal and we very much appreciate your pledge of intent.  We also appreciate that circumstances may change and that your statement of intent is not binding in any way. 

Thank you for thinking of giving a gift to Bedford High School Foundation.  Your gift will be very much appreciated.