We are a charity that is dedicated to advancing the quality of veterinary care for the benefit of animals, the public and society. Leaving us a gift in your will can ensure that our mission continues for years to come.
How your gift makes an impact
A gift to RCVS Knowledge in your will can support our work providing veterinary teams with the tools and resources to improve the quality of care for animals.
Some of the ways we do this, include:
- providing education, tools and resources to veterinary teams to help them continuously improve the quality of care
- championing evidence-based practice, sharing the most up-to-date evidence with veterinary teams and supporting them to use their knowledge to improve the lives of all kinds of animals
- curating and sharing veterinary history so we can learn from the past.
Want to know more?
If you have any questions about leaving a gift in your will, please email ceo@rcvsknowledge.org
How to leave a gift in your will
Please note that the legal name of RCVS Knowledge is Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Trust (Registered Charity Number: 230886), so please be sure that this is the charity name that is stated in your will.
- Speak to a solicitor or use a will-writing service to include a charitable gift.
- Specify the amount or percentage of your estate you wish to leave to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons trust.
- Provide our details: Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Trust, Registered Charity Number: 230886.
A will must be in writing and signed by you and two witnesses. A will is not valid unless it complies with certain formalities so we recommend you seek professional advice.
There are three main types of gifts that you make in your will:
- A specific legacy is an item such as jewellery or property. You can also bequeath specific personal assets such as stocks and shares, literary rights, books, art and antiques. If you are considering leaving a collection of books to the library, we would welcome the opportunity to discuss your plans with you before you commit them to your will.
- A pecuniary legacy is a fixed sum of money. Inflation will, however, erode the value of a pecuniary gift over time. It is a good idea to review pecuniary gifts regularly or opt for residuary legacies.
- A residuary legacy is a share of what is left of your estate when other gifts and liabilities are paid. You can choose to leave the entire residue to one person or charity, or to divide it among a number of beneficiaries.
Choose executors, such as a close friend or relative and a legal professional, who you can rely on to make sure your instructions are carried out.
Keep your will safe and make sure someone knows where it is. It is advisable to leave your will with your solicitor or bank where it can easily be found. It is useful to keep a copy yourself.
It makes good sense to review your will regularly to make sure it still accurately reflects your wishes. If your circumstances change significantly you should think about making changes to your will.
Small changes can be made with a codicil – an addition to your existing will that should be drawn up by your solicitor. The cost may be significantly less than having a new will written.
Suggested wording
Here is some suggested wording to take to your solicitor for each type of gift.
Pecuniary legacy
“I give the sum of £[X] free of duty to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Trust of 1 Hardwick Street, London, EC1R 4RB (charity number 230886), for its general charitable purposes and I declare that the receipt of the Chief Executive Officer or other proper officer of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Trust shall be good and sufficient discharge thereof.”
Residuary legacy
“I give [X] % of my residuary estate to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Trust of 1 Hardwick Street, London, EC1R 4RB, (charity number 230886), for its general charitable purposes and I declare that the receipt of the Chief Executive Officer or other proper officer of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Trust shall be good and sufficient discharge thereof.”
Specific legacy
“I give [named item] free of duty to the to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Trust of 1 Hardwick Street, London, EC1R 4RB, (charity number 230886), for its general charitable purposes and I declare that the receipt of the Chief Executive Officer or other proper officer of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Trust shall be good and sufficient discharge thereof.”
Contact us
If you have any questions about leaving a gift in your will, contact us at ceo@rcvsknowledge.org