Leaving a Legacy to The Irish Blue Cross

Your gift will support our work into the future, allowing your legacy and love for pets to live on.

You may have heard the term ‘legacy giving’ or ‘bequest’ but weren’t sure what it meant. It is quite simply planning to make a difference, both for you and for a charity or cause you really care about, through a charitable gift in your will.

The goal of these gifts is to ‘leave a legacy’ that can have a positive or even transforming impact when you are gone. Legacy gifts have played a significant role in allowing us to expand our small animal services in recent years and helps us to continue treating the thousands of sick and injured pets every year.

Once family and loved ones are looked after in your will, consider how you else you can help. Whether it’s a modest sum or a small percentage of your will, leaving a gift to The Irish Blue Cross can support our work into the future and ensures that your love for pets lives on. If you don’t already have a will in place, we provide a Free Will Writing Service  – details can be found below. If you already have a will in place, your solicitor can help you update it to include a legacy gift.

Nobody knows what the future holds but leaving a legacy gift in your will is an amazing way for you to continue your support of our work after you are gone. To find out more about remembering The Irish Blue Cross in your will, you can speak with us in the strictest confidence by calling Paul on (01) 4163032 or you can email paul.halpin@bluecross.ie. Your legacy could safeguard the future of The Irish Blue Cross, and help us, help pets like Rocco.

Free Online Will Writing Service

Writing or amending your Will need not be difficult or expensive. The Irish Blue Cross offers a Free Will Service for our supporters and their partners. You can create a simple Will, free of charge, using an online Will writing service. We are a charity partner of FreeWill Ireland.  The FreeWill offering will be suitable for many people, but for those with more complex it is generally recommended to use the services of a solicitor.

There’s no obligation to do so, but we would be extremely grateful if you could support us with a gift in your Will.

Why Make a Will?

Making a Will is the best way of ensuring that your wishes are met, and the people and causes you care about are looked after.

Write your Will online

To help you get started with writing a Will from the comfort of your own home, we’ve teamed up with FreeWill Ireland, and their online partner Last Will to provide you with a free online Will writing service.

1. When you have decided you would like to use this service, please contact Paul to receive your unique weblink for your free Will. E: legacy@bluecross.ie , call (01) 416 3032 or fill out the form below. You will also receive a simple Will Guidance document by return email.
2. Review the guidance material before completing your online Will. Plan your will, taking account of your various assets, liabilities and wishes for the future.
3. When you’re ready to start drafting your Will, click on the link sent to you to start your free online will.
4. There are a number of sections and you can review and edit these as you progress.
5. Once the system has generated your Will (it will be sent to your email), simply print it out and follow the instructions to sign it and have it witnessed.
6. Store your Will in a safe place. It is recommended to make other relevant people aware of its location.

There is no charge for a standard Will, which is suitable for most people.

If you find your Will is more complicated and you want to take legal advice, you can ask FreeWill to refer you to their partner solicitor (but there is as a fee for this). The will can be reviewed either in person or via Zoom.

When you leave our website, you can check the separate privacy policies of FreeWill Ireland and Last Will on their websites.

Frequently asked questions

What do I need to consider when using the Free Will Service?

You can find information before starting your Will at this link. Along with your voucher code, we will also send you a guidance document to help you prepare.

Do I have to leave a gift in my Will to this Charity to use this FreeWill service?

No. Your Will is your business so it’s entirely up to you whether you choose to leave us a gift or not.

If I leave a gift to The Irish Blue Cross in my Will, do I need to let you know?

We won’t know you have left a gift unless you give permission to inform us (there is a tickbox option in the will) – or until the time comes for your Will to be read. Whatever option you choose, we always love to hear from supporters so we can thank you for your gift and stay in touch.

What if I change my mind?

Including a gift to The Irish Blue Cross in your Will does not make it a binding commitment while you are still alive. You can change your mind and amend your Will again at any time.

I have a trusted solicitor. Can I use them to leave a gift to The Irish Blue Cross?

Yes, you can use your own solicitor to draw up your Will, although it’s unlikely to be free to do so. Simply tell them you want to include a gift (residuary or cash) to The Irish Blue Cross in your Will and they will arrange it for you. Once completed, we would be grateful if you could let us know so that we can thank you but you are under no obligation to do so. If you have already written a Will and would like to leave a gift, you can create a codicil with your solicitor, which simply allows you to update part of your Will.