Leave a gift in your will

Close your eyes and imagine the Bay of Islands you want to see. With a gift to Project Island Song in your will, we can help your vision come true.

The Bay of Islands is home to a stunning array of wildlife, much of it unique to our part of the planet. However, if we don’t look out for the future, and protect our world for the next generation, much of what we see today could be lost forever.

Including a gift in your will to Project Island Song means you will leave a lasting legacy, helping these island wildlife sanctuaries thrive for future generations to enjoy.

Legacy gifts don’t have to be enormous to have a major impact. A gift of any size helps us to continue the work to maintain the islands pest-free status, support the regeneration of the habitat, and continue to reintroduce rare and endangered species back to this haven, saving them from extinction.

Leaving a gift in your will is a very personal decision, and you should look after your loved ones first. Different financial circumstances or changes in the needs of family members may also need to be taken into consideration.

How you make a will

If you are considering leaving a gift in your will to Project Island Song – thank you. We hugely appreciate your support.

This information may be helpful.

1. Our legal name is The Guardians of the Bay of Islands Incorporated.
2. We recommend you talk to a solicitor for expert advice. They may find the following wording helpful:
“I give to Guardians of the Bay of Islands Incorporated (the residue of my estate / a ______% share of my estate / the sum of $__________.” for its general purposes. A receipt given on behalf of the Guardians of the Bay of Islands Incorporated will be a complete discharge to my trustees for the gift.”

Common forms of bequests

A residual bequest

After making provision for family and friends you can choose to leave what’s left (the residue) to a charity such as the Guardians of the Bay of Islands Incorporated.

A percentage

Some people decide to share their estate among several people and charities by allocating a percentage to beneficiaries. This overcomes the need to review your will regularly to take account of changes in your estate or to compensate for inflation. Even a small percentage of your estate can make a significant difference to our work.

Specified gift

This form of bequest allows you to clearly specify a gift, whether it is a gift of money, property, artwork, jewellery, bonds, shares or your estate. Remember that over time inflation may change the value of the gift. A specified amount of money is not always advisable for this reason.

Your whole estate

This usually occurs when there are no living relatives or if the Benefactor (you) wishes to make a significant contribution to what they believe in.

Updating your will

A will is an important and telling document and provides you with an opportunity to reflect on your life and your values. Your will should therefore be reviewed on a regular basis, particularly when major changes have occurred in one’s life such as marriage, death of a loved one or executor of your will.

If you would like more information about leaving a gift in your will to Project Island Song, please contact our Fundraising Manager, Andy Boor, in confidence, at andy@projectislandsong.co.nz