Gift in your Will

A will is a good way to plan for the needs of your family and loved ones - and by leaving a gift to Crossroads, you can create a better future for carers in the Isle of Man.

We understand that when planning your will, naturally your family and loved ones will be your top priority and you will want to make sure they are cared for. But through your will you can also leave a gift to the thousands of carers who need support. Your gift can transform someone’s life.

You are completely in control of how much you choose to give. Whatever the size of your gift, we promise it will make a huge difference to local carers.

How your gift could help

With an ageing population and more and more people wanting to be cared for in their own homes, the number of carers is rising each year. Currently it is estimated that there are over 10,000 carers living in the Isle of Man which includes 1000 young carers. With this figure increasing, it is important that we are able to meet the increasing demand for our services.

By leaving a gift in your will, you can help us to provide more care hours to carers meaning more hours of respite for them. Your gift will also enable us to increase the number of people we can look after within our current services, and also allow us to explore the possibility of expanding our services and providing support to more carers and their loved ones. Leaving a gift is a wonderful legacy and will make it possible for Crossroads to continue being there for carers in the years to come.

Types of gifts

There are three different types of gift you can leave in your will:

Residuary gift

This type of gift is a share or percentage, for example 5%, of what is left of the value of your estate after your family, friends and loved ones have been taken care of and provided for. Unlike a cash gift, leaving a share of your estate means that the value stays the same over time and you will not need to change your will to keep up with inflation.

Cash gift

A cash gift is also known as a pecuniary gift, and is a fixed sum of money, for example £1,000. These gifts are paid out of your estate first, and then what is left is divided as per your instructions. It’s worth noting that a cash gift will likely lose value over time due to inflation and may end up being less than you intended.

Specific gift

A specific gift is a gift of a specified item, for example a personal possession, a piece of jewellery, land, artwork, or an antique, that you wish to donate. By leaving a specific gift you can ensure any items of value to you are passed on and taken care of.

How to leave your legacy

Making a will may be easier than you think. We recommend that when making or amending your will, you get in touch with an advocate or solicitor who can ensure your wishes will be carried out as you intend and make sure your gift is worded correctly. Your advocate or solicitor will also have a checklist of all the things to be decided upon, and once that is done, you can add whatever gift you feel is right and possible. 

Suggested wording for making your gift to Crossroads

This suggested legal wording will assist your advocate or solicitor in making or amending your will to include your gift.

Wording for a residuary gift

I give the residue of my estate to Crossroads Care, Units B5 & B6, Eden Business Park, Cooil Road, Braddan, Isle of Man, IM4 2AY, (Registered Charity Number 383) for its general charitable purposes. I further direct that the receipt of the Chief Executive or other proper officer of the said charity for the time being shall be a full and sufficient discharge for the said gift.

Wording for a gift of money or an item

I give the sum of £_____ (or the item specified) to Crossroads Care, Units B5 & B6, Eden Business Park, Cooil Road, Braddan, Isle of Man, IM4 2AY, (Registered Charity Number 383) for its general charitable purposes. I further direct that the receipt of the Chief Executive or other proper officer of the said charity for the time being shall be a full and sufficient discharge for the said gift.

How your gift could help

Your gift could support people like Susie. Susie became a full time carer to her husband after he suffered a stroke. Susie was struggling with caring 24/7 and got in touch with Crossroads to see how we could help. Now, a carer support worker visits Susie and her husband twice a week for a few hours to give Susie the rest she needs. Susie often uses this time to do the shopping, meet up with friends or have a well earned sleep! With our support, Susie is able to get the help she needs, and by leaving a gift you can ensure people like Susie are given the help and support they need.

Your gift could also create friendships for young carers. There are currently around 1000 young carers in the Isle of Man, and Crossroads runs fortnightly sessions for some of them to give them a break from their caring role. On our sessions, young carers can make the most of their childhood with other children who understand what they are going through. This can help create wonderful friendships and give young people someone to talk to when things are getting on top of them. A gift in your will could help fund our Young Carers project and give more young people the opportunity to be part of a community that understands their needs.

If you have any questions about leaving a gift then please get in touch. We are happy to help.