Thank you for your interest in including a gift to the University of Reading in your will.
Pledging a legacy will cost you nothing today, but will be of immense value to the University in the years to come. Whatever you want to achieve - from supporting ground-breaking research, to providing student bursaries - a gift in your will is a way of continuing to make a difference to future generations at Reading.
Legacies can be used to support many different aspects of the University's work, and we would be happy to discuss with you how you would like your gift to be used.
The University of Reading is an exempt charity, which means that any gift left to us in your will is free of UK inheritance tax.
Please follow the links below for more information on making a gift to the University in your will. If you have any questions or would like to speak to somebody in confidence about your intentions, please contact:
Edd Pickering
Head of Fundraising
Email: (e.w.pickering@reading.ac.uk)
Telephone: +44 (0)118 378 2730
Why did you leave a legacy?
"A few years ago I was approached by one of the student telephone callers and I became a donor. This led to me visiting Reading for the first time in many years, for the annual Donor Day. I was very impressed by the University, the students involved with the day, the teaching and research staff I met and those running the work with alumni. I began to think about how I could become more involved with the future of the University. Working for a charity myself I knew of the value of legacies and bequests, and it seemed obvious to me that including the University in my will was a way of having a stake in the future of the University. Three further post graduate courses mean that three other universities make overtures to me for my support but my heart belongs to Reading!"
Sue Styche, Geography 1971
Legacies to Reading - past, present and future
Legacy gifts have played a vital role in the history of the University of Reading and have helped shape the world-leading University we know and love today. A legacy gift is often the most significant gift a person makes and every legacy - large or small - makes a significant difference. In 2009, the University launched the Palmer Society to recognise the special commitment of those who choose to support us with a gift in their will. It is named after the Palmer family, whose bequests and gifts were so fundamental in the early days of the University.
Your questions answered
Writing or updating a will is not something most of us do very often, and you may have a number of questions about how to include a legacy gift to Reading. We have provided answers to some of the most commonly asked questions here. Read more.
Next steps
To request a copy of our legacy information, please email Edd Pickering, Head of Fundraising: e.w.pickering@reading.ac.uk
