Ways You Can Leave a Gift in Your Will … Expand A share of your estate This is called a residuary gift. It means leaving a percentage of what’s left of your estate after all debts, costs, and any specific gifts to loved ones have been taken care of. A cash gift Also known as a pecuniary gift, this is a fixed sum of money, you choose the amount you would like or feel able to leave. A specific item You can also leave a particular item to CLEFT; such as a property, share portfolio, or personal belongings like jewellery or artwork.
... And the impact it could have Expand Your generosity, whatever the size or type of gift, could help provide essential equipment, therapy, and training to give more children the chance to eat, speak, smile and thrive. £250 – could cover the lifetime of cleft care needed for one child in a lower income country, including operations, speech therapy and dentistry £1,000 – could empower patients and their families/carers, by providing accessible information leaflets in local languages £2,000 – could help children find their voice through the provision of speech and language therapy tools and training £5,000 – could help build skills that last for generations, by funding long term training visits overseas £50,000 – could fund a new research project into the likely causes of cleft lip and palate £80,000 – could fund a brand new Mini C-Arm X-ray Machine – providing a vital tool to ensure children receive the right surgery for clearer speech
Including a Gift to CLEFT in your Will is Simple Expand Whether you're making a Will for the first time or updating an existing one, including a gift to CLEFT is straightforward. We recommend using a solicitor or Will writing professional to make or update your Will. They’ll make sure it’s legally valid and that your wishes are carried out exactly as you intend. All you will need to provide them with are the details of the gift you’d like to leave and the information below: Charity Name: CLEFT Address: 10a Warren Estate, Lordship Road, Writtle, Chelmsford, CM1 3WT Registered Charity Number: 1194581 Once they have this, they’ll take care of the rest.
Our Promise to You Expand A gift in your Will could help shape the future of cleft care around the world. If you choose to remember CLEFT in this meaningful way, here’s what we promise in return: You are not bound by your decision, and you can change your mind at any time. We understand that your family, friends and loved ones come first, and we fully respect that. You will never feel any pressure from us - the choice to leave a gift is yours alone. You don’t have to tell us, but if you do, we’d be truly grateful. It would give us the chance to say thank you and keep you informed about the work your gift could one day support. If it is your wish to support a specific project, we’ll do our best to honour your wishes. If that’s ever not possible (for example, if a programme has ended), we’ll ensure your gift is used in a way that reflects your intentions as closely as possible. We will use your gift carefully and responsibly, to make the biggest impact on the lives of children born with cleft conditions.
Contact Us Expand If you are considering leaving a gift in your Will to CLEFT and you would like some further information please complete our contact form below. If you have already included a gift in your Will then you can also let us know using the contact form below. You are under no obligation to tell us but, should you choose to do so, we would love the opportunity to thank you and to keep you updated on the sort of work that your gift might one day help to fund. Contact Us Alternatively, please contact Melanie Baldwin, Chief Operations Officer, at [email protected] or on 07533 963438.
Why I’ve left a gift to CLEFT in my Will – Mel’s story Expand Melanie Baldwin – Chief Operations Officer at CLEFT "I want every child to have the chance to find their voice - just like my son did." When Melanie Baldwin’s son, Noah, was born with a cleft palate, he was treated at Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford, by a dedicated and compassionate cleft team. Melanie describes the medical professionals as “kind, committed, and always going above and beyond.” Their care, from surgery through to speech therapy, had a life-changing impact. Today, Noah is thriving. Though he still has occasional check-ups, he’s doing brilliantly. This is all thanks to the skilled team that supported him, including a surgeon who was trained by CLEFT’s co-founder, Brian Sommerlad. But the journey wasn’t easy. At the age of three, Noah couldn’t speak. Melanie and her family used Makaton to communicate, unsure if he would ever be able to express himself with words. “I hadn’t realised how vital speech is, not just for school, but for relationships, for making friends, for work later in life. It touches every part of who we are.” That experience inspired Melanie to include a gift to CLEFT in her Will, a gift she hopes will give other children the same chance. “I feel incredibly lucky to have been born in the UK, where access to specialist care is available. But around the world, so many children born with cleft conditions still can’t access treatment or speech therapy. I want my gift to change that, to help more children find their voice, just like Noah did.”