One in five of our limbless and injured veterans are supported thanks to gifts in Wills.
No matter what size of gift you decide to pledge, you’ll be making a huge impact on improving the lives of ex-Service men and women who have experienced limb loss or the use of a limb, an eye or loss of sight in the honourable service of our country.
Request a free Gift in Will guide
Once you’ve completed the short form below, you will be given the option to download a free Gift In Wills information guide. The whole process is completely free, quick, easy and there’s no commitment if you decide to change your mind.
For assistance, please call our Legacies team on 020 8548 7085.
Why Cyril decided to leave a gift in his Will to Blesma
Cyril, a former Royal Logistics Corps soldier who lost his right leg in a traffic accident, has been a Blesma Member for more than 30 years. He credits the Association with helping him and his wife Hazel, 83, enjoy a fuller life. As a result, he decided to leave a gift in his Will to Blesma to show his appreciation.
It was originally an advert in a newspaper which led Cyril to the 'Blesma family'. He originally contacted Blesma for some advice about accessing a disabled rail card as he approached retirement. But the call actually led to Blesma officials guiding him towards a war pension that had been denied after he was involved in a horror motorbike crash leaving camp for Easter leave.
With a Will you always look after your family first but it is good and fitting to remember those that have helped you and Blesma has certainly done that. They are a good place to consider.
Need help writing or updating your Will?
In addition, we offer two free Will writing services to take the hassle out of drafting your Will. Whether you are writing a Will for the first time or changing an existing Will, you can choose either option. It is free of charge for simple or mirror Wills. There may be a charge if your needs are more complex.
The National Free Wills Network
The National Free Wills Network will connect you with a local solicitor who will arrange to meet you and help to draft your new Will or amend your existing Will according to your needs.
Octopus Legacy
Octopus Legacy is a free online Will writing service. The process is quick and simple, and your Will is fully checked by a team of solicitors before signing.
Use the code BLESMAFREE at the checkout to complete the process free of charge.
FAQs
We can help
We are dedicated to assisting serving and ex-Service men and women who have suffered life-changing limbloss or the use of a limb, an eye or sight. We support these men and women in their communities throughout the UK. Click the link below to find our the different kinds of support we offer.
Get Support- Why should I leave a gift to Blesma?
You can be sure that any contributions you make will go towards supporting our limbless veterans and their families, for life. Choosing to leave a gift to Blesma will cost you nothing and will not affect you now. Any gifts you choose to leave will be handled sensitively and respectfully.
With your support, as long as there is a service person that has lost a limb, the use of a limb or has lost vision during service or after, we will be there to help them.
- Can I have a say in where my gift is used?
Yes, of course. If there is an area of our work you would particularly like to support, please get in touch with us to discuss your wishes in more detail.
You can call 020 8548 7085 or email us at legacies@blesma.org
Your wishes are very important to us, so if you would like your loved ones to be involved in deciding how your gift should be used, we are very happy to help.
- Does the size of my gift matter?
Every gift we receive from all our supporters – large or small – is important to us and contributes towards changing the lives of injured veterans and their dependants. Even a small percentage of your estate can make a big difference to us, whilst safeguarding both your intentions and your loved one’s interests.
- What if I change my mind?
You can change your mind about a gift in your Will at any time.
- What will it cost to write a Will?
Our free will writing services enable individuals and couples who support Blesma to have their Will(s) written or amended free of charge.
Octopus Legacy
Start writing your Will online here, and simply use the code BLESMAFREE at the checkout to complete your online Will free of charge.
The National Free Wills Network -
The National Free Wills Network enables individuals and couples who support Blesma to have their Will(s) written or amended free of charge, using qualified solicitors local to them.
The free service applies to the writing of ‘Simple Wills’, in other words Wills that do not deal with complex issues. The offer also includes ‘Mirror Wills’ for couples.
- What types of gifts in Wills are there?
There are three types of gifts you can choose to leave Blesma:
A residuary legacy: This is the sum of money left after specific requests, debts and tax and any funeral costs have been paid.
A pecuniary legacy: This is a specified sum of money.
A specific legacy: This is a gift of a particular item, this can then be used or sold as appropriate by the recipient.
- What information will I need to give my Solicitor?
All gifts in Wills should be left to Blesma and must use our registered charity numbers 1084189 and SC010315 and the correct registered address: British Limbless Ex-Servicemen Association, 115 New London Road, Chelmsford, CM2 0QT
Your solicitor will advise on the specific wording you need to use for different types of gifts.
- Can I change my existing Will to leave a gift to Blesma?
If you already have a Will and wish to leave a gift to aid the work we do, please contact us on 020 8548 7085 or at legacies@blesma.org. and we will send you a Codicil Form. Just place this form with the original version of your Will. You will not need to prepare a new Will, but it’s worth advising your next of kin of your decision.
If you do not have a Will or would prefer to ament your Will using the expertise of a solicitor, you can arrange this through our Free Will Writing Service.
- What about inheritance tax?
In order to review your personal tax situation, we recommend that you consult your solicitor when making changes to your Will.
The government sets the inheritance tax threshold, so this is subject to change. If your estate is liable to attract inheritance tax, leaving a gift to charity can have the effect of reducing the overall tax burden on family and friends.
- Do I need to let you know if I decide to leave a gift in my Will?
Do I need to let you know if I decide to leave a gift in my Will?