Once you have considered your family and friends in your Will, a legacy gift is a lasting way of helping to protect the historic churches of Oxfordshire for the future.

Anyone can leave a legacy gift to the Trust: we would be happy to discuss your wishes with you in more detail, and you should seek advice on the terms of your Will from your own solicitor.

It is advantageous to the Trust to be able to add legacies given to it to the Heritage Fund, which it has established to provide a secure and consistent source of investment income for the future. A gift to the Heritage Fund, regardless of size, will continue to support our churches for many years to come. We therefore encourage anyone considering making a bequest to consider doing so in the following form, which will have that effect:

“I give to the Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust (2016) of 4, Haslemere Gardens, Oxford OX2 8EL (a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales at this address under number 1168567) the sum of £[…] to be held as part of the Heritage Fund of the Trust; and I declare that the receipt of the Treasurer or other proper officer for the time being of the Trust shall be a sufficient discharge to my Executors and Trustees.”

The Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust is a registered charity, and so any legacy gift you make to the Trust in your Will is therefore exempt from inheritance tax. Furthermore, leaving a legacy to charity can reduce the rate of inheritance tax that will be levied on the taxable part of your estate.

We are often asked about different types of legacy as there are a number of alternatives which you may wish to consider:

Pecuniary Legacy: This allows you to specify a sum of money to give.

Specific Legacy: This enables you to leave a specific asset such as property, works of art and shares.

Residuary Legacy: This is a gift of all or part of your estate after other legacies and expenses have been paid.

Reversionary Legacy: This allows you to leave assets to the Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust whilst giving a named person the benefit of them during his or her lifetime.

If you would like more information or to talk to us about making a legacy gift, please contact the OHCT Treasurer

Heath Farmhouse, Hanwell, Oxon OX17 1HN
Email: [email protected]