Leaving a legacy

Making a Lasting Gift 

It has always been a great encouragement whenever someone has left a gift in his or her will to our Churches in the past. It’s their testimony to the faithfulness, goodness and generosity of God and their thankfulness for the life of the benefice of Upper Wensleydale. I want to encourage everyone in our church family, old and young to make a will, review it regularly, and consider the difference a gift in your will could make. Thank you, The Revd Dave Clark – Vicar

Your Church, Your Gift

Many people give regularly to the mission and ministry of the churches in the Upper Wensleydale Benefice. We are stewards of everything we own. Gifts from our income and gifts through our wills are a natural part of that giving. They are a valuable and lasting way to invigorate the life of the benefice and transform its future A gift in your will can be an expression of your gratitude and thanksgiving towards God, and can help keep your local church alive, and transform its future. The PCC’s have written a Legacy Policy confirming that, however large or small, they will use your gift to make a real difference to our church.

Our Legacy Policy

The Policy of the PCC’s in our Benefice is to use gifts in wills to fund significant development projects in the Parish. Since needs change over the years, we encourage church members to leave a gift in your will for the general purposes of the Benefice or a specific church building, rather than for a restricted purpose. Each of our Churches has a legacy Policy an example of which can be viewed here

The PCC will discuss with executors the most appropriate use of the gift in the light of current projects and the donor’s known areas of interest in the church (e.g. children and youth, music, buildings).

Suggested wording for your will:

“ I give             % of my residuary estate OR I give the sum of £       (pounds only) free of all taxes to the Parochial Church Council of …* in the Diocese of Leeds for its general purposes, and I declare that the receipt of an officer of the Parochial Church Council shall be a sufficient discharge to my executors and trustees.”

* St Margaret’s Hawes, * St Oswald’s Askrigg,* St Mary and St John’s, Hardraw or *St Matthew’s, Stalling Busk

We strongly advise you see a solicitor

Further details are also available here on:-

We encourage every adult church member to:

1)         Make a will and review it regularly.

2)         Consider leaving a gift to our parish.

3)         Request a free information pack.

To request a free information pack, please visit the Church of England legacy website

You can also speak to us in confidence about gifts in wills. Please contact the Benefice Office on 01969 667553 or office@upperwenben.org