Saving one of Jersey’s most spectacular headlands, planting a woodland and helping generations of young Islanders access education… all have been made possible by gifts left behind in Islanders’ wills.
Now, local charities are asking more people to consider whether they too could leave a “lasting legacy” to the causes closest to their hearts.
The Legacy Week campaign starts today and runs until Sunday. Organised by the Jersey Fundraising Forum, the week hopes to encourage people to talk about charitable gifts in wills and highlights the vital funding this can provide for Jersey charities.
This year’s central message – ‘Will You Leave A Better Tomorrow?’ – asks Islanders to reflect on the power they have to create positive impact for the future through charitable giving.
Alongside this, the campaign aims to address the common misconceptions about legacies.
Jersey Fundraising Forum chair and founder of IslandKind, Beth Gallichan, said: “Gifts in wills can be transformational for charities. Over nearly 20 years of working with charities, I’ve seen ordinary people leave extraordinary gifts, often quietly and sometimes completely unexpectedly.”
“We all benefit when more people understand the impact of generosity, feel comfortable talking about leaving a gift and begin thinking about the causes that matter most to them.
“This campaign invites us to think collectively about our community, how we would like to be remembered and the Island we want to leave for those who come next.”
Express has spoken with some local charities which have received acts of kindness in Islander’s last wishes, to find out truly how much these donations mean to them…
National Trust for Jersey
National Trust for Jersey, who recently celebrated its 90th anniversary in August 2026, said that “without legacies, the National Trust wouldn’t be what it is today”.
The charity, which is self-funding, has been a lead charity in protecting and preserving Jersey’s wildlife and landscapes, historical buildings and centuries-old traditions.
Liana Summers-Shaw, the fundraising officer at the Trust, said: “Legacies were vital in supporting key campaigns and projects, such as saving the Plémont headland from development, restoring the Georgian House Museum at 16 New Street, and transforming the Foot Buildings, now Locke’s Café.”
The iconic National Trust for Jersey ‘Le Don’ sign can be seen across the Island, which means ‘the gift’. The Le Don signs signify a gift left to the Trust’s care, signifying charitable donations, with some being left in Islanders’ Wills.
Société Jersiaise
Brian Phillipps was one of the Société Jersiaise’s “most dedicated members”, spending decades helping to uncover, document and preserve Jersey’s heritage.
Mr Phillipps helped preserve Jersey’s historic cider apple varieties, supported the Jersey Cider Orchard Trust, and contributed to the recreation of a traditional cider press at Hamptonne.
When Brian passed in 2022, he ensured the work he cared about would continue, through leaving a significant legacy gift to the Société Jersiaise, which funded the provision of a Field Archaeologist for Jersey.
This has enabled archaeological investigation, research and public engagement to continue across the Island, with now today, “every new discovery and excavation supported through that role forms part of Brian’s continuing legacy.”
Société Jersiaise also received another legacy gift in1924, following the death of Jersey artist Arthur Hamptonne Barreau, when his aunt, Emmeline Augusta Barreau, made an “extraordinary gift.”
Ms Barreau donated her nephew’s £8,000 legacy to create a lasting memorial: the Barreau
Art Gallery, a fund to acquire works by Channel Islands artists and scholarships to support aspiring local art students.
Rebecca Bailhache, chief executive of Société Jersiaise, said: “A century later, that generosity is still having an impact. 139 Barreau Scholars were identified during the centenary celebrations in 2024, and the scholarship continues to support Jersey’s creative talent today.”
“Most recently, it helped fund the Vraicq’sie artists’ exhibition at Elizabeth Castle, showing how one legacy can continue to enrich Jersey’s cultural life across generations.”
Jersey College Foundation
The former Jersey College for Girls Headmistress Isobel Stevenson left a gift in her will to the Jersey College Foundation, where she “created a legacy that will benefit young people for generations to come”.
Her bequest established the Isobel Stevenson Bursary, helping ensure that talented students can access a JCG education regardless of their financial circumstances.
Today, the bursary helps remove financial barriers and opens doors for future students.
One bursary recipient said: “Without the bursary that allowed me to attend JCG, my path today would look very different. Coming from a single-parent background, the financial support meant I could access an environment that not only prioritised academic excellence but actively empowered girls to see themselves in professions like law. It did more than ease financial pressure; it changed what I believed was possible for my future.”
Alison Morgan, chief executive for the JCG Foundation, shared: “Through the Isobel Stevenson Bursary, Miss Stevenson’s generosity continues to open doors, inspire ambition and transform futures across Jersey.”
Beresford Street Kitchen
Earlier this year, Beresford Street Kitchen received its first direct gift left in a will. The charity said it was not aware of any direct connection.
Louisa Lempriere, Community Engagement Beresford Street Kitchen, reflected: “We may never know whether that inspired the gift, but if it did, it says something powerful about what the organisation strives to create every day; a welcoming, inclusive place.”
“A legacy gift is about much more than its monetary value. It can help charities plan for the future, invest in new opportunities and continue creating lasting change. Beresford Street Kitchen is incredibly grateful to have been included in this person’s final wishes,” she added.
Freeda
During Jersey Legacy Week, Freeda is encouraging Islanders to think about the difference they would like to leave behind and how a gift in their Will could help another family find hope, safety and a better future.
Freeda explained that: “A gift in a Will can extend that impact beyond a lifetime, helping Freeda protect, support and empower women and children for years to come.
“When women are safe, children can begin to heal, and communities grow stronger.”
Tree Legacies
St Clement Goes Green is an initiative to plant trees across the parish, ultimately increasing its canopy cover from a meagre 0.4%.
This project will result in new green spaces for parishioners, especially children, to enjoy and benefit from, as well as providing a range of mental and physical health benefits.
The principal potential hurdle for getting the project off the ground was the lack of funding. Fortunately, however, as the project was taking shape, Jersey Trees for Life received a legacy of £20,000 from the estate of a St Clement parishioner, with explicit instructions to spend it on planting trees in the parish.
John Michel, tree advocate at Jersey Trees for Life, explained: “Another great example of a legacy benefiting the community can be found at Adelina Woods in St Helier.
“This semi-urban gem was created in 2004 by Jersey Trees for Life in tribute to the landowner’s mother, who wanted the land to be used for families, and especially children, to enjoy trees, wildlife and engaging with nature.
“The site is now unrecognisable. After 22 years, a former brickworks has become a thriving wooded area.
“When the landowner sadly passed away earlier this year, her legacy was to leave Adelina Woods to Jersey Trees for Life, ensuring that it remains safe from development and can continue to benefit the community.”
Could you leave a legacy?
Law firm Viberts, which provides advice on the practicalities of making a Will and related legal decisions, described leaving a legacy as a meaningful way of making a “lasting difference to the community”.
Karla Summers-Shaw, Advocate & Partner, on the Private Client Team, said: “Legacy gifts may be given as fixed sums of money, specific assets, or a percentage of the overall estate, and Viberts always reassures clients that no gift is too small.
“It is a simple act, but one that can provide meaningful support to local charities. It is also a personal way for individuals to support causes that are important to them after they have gone.”
Find out more about Legacy Week here.
