Leave a gift in your Will

Bristol Museums Development Trust relies on gifts in Wills to support our charitable work, care for and expand our collections, educate and inspire our visitors and bring world-class exhibitions to Bristol.

A gift of any size will make a difference to us, and help bring our collections to life for future generations. After you have provided for your loved ones, please consider making a gift to our charity to help secure the future of Bristol Museums.

Unrestricted gifts to our charity are particularly valuable as they allow us to use your donation where the need is greatest. However, if you would prefer to support a specific area of our work, please contact us to discuss the options.

There are three types of gift you can make in your Will:

• A Residuary Gift
• A Pecuniary Gift
• A Specific Gift (of an object)

Gifts to charities are exempt from inheritance tax which means that leaving a gift to Bristol Museums Development Trust may help reduce your tax liability. In addition, if you leave 10% or more of the net value of your estate to charity in your Will, your estate may qualify for inheritance tax at a reduced rate. As everyone’s tax situation is different, we strongly recommend discussing this matter with your solicitor.

If you have left a gift in your Will to Bristol Museums Development Trust, or decide to do so, please do let us know so we can thank you and show you how your gift will make a difference to us. We would also like keep you up to date with all the activities going on at Bristol Museums and send you occasional invitations to our events.

In preparing your Will, your solicitors will need to know our charity details, which are:-

Charity name: Bristol Museums Development Trust

Registered address: Bristol Museum & Art Gallery, Queens Road, Bristol, BS8 1RL
Registered Charity No: 1137777

To find a solicitor who can advise you on leaving a gift in your Will, you can the Remember A Charity website.

Claim your free will today:

Bristol Museums Development Trust has partnered with expert will writers, Octopus Legacy, to make giving a gift in your will even easier.

Choose the solution for you:

• Write your will online via the Octopus Legacy website 
• Easy step-by-step process
• Legal experts check over each will
• On-hand support
• Book to write your will over the phone: when you call 0800 773 4014.
• Book a face-to-face meeting when you call 0800 773 4014.

You can quote LOVEBRISTOLMUSEUMS to get your will for free.

Octopus Legacy FAQs

Can you make an online will?

Yes, you can make an online will. Writing your will, like most things in the world, has gone digital. Octopus Legacy’s online system was created by a solicitor and legal team, and saves you time and money when making your will. Additionally, for peace of mind, your online will is checked by their expert legal team who are available when you need help.

Can you write your online will without a solicitor?

You can write your will or online will without a solicitor, and it’s completely legal. Octopus Legacy’s online will was built by a solicitor and expert legal team. It just requires you to input your own details to be completed.

What if you need to update your online will?

Most likely you will need to update your online will. It is a living document that will evolve as your life and situation changes. The advantage of the Octopus Legacy online will service is that you can update it any time. This is free for the first year and only £10 per year after that, which you can opt out of at any time. Just let them know what amends you’d like to make and they’ll send you the updated version to sign with two witnesses.

Can I get help printing my online will?

You can print your online will at home. No printer, no worries. Octopus Legacy offers a print and post service for just £9.99 for exactly that reason. You’ll be given this option at the end of the process.

Why am I seeing a £50 charge?

Octopus Legacy offers a bundle deal when writing your will, so you can also get your Lasting Power of Attorney sorted for only £50 (normally £120), if you don’t want an LPA you can simply remove this from checkout.

What if my estate is complex?

There are some cases where you may want to seek legal advice. If you have a complicated or larger estate then you may need a complex will. If you think this might be you, then you can speak to Octopus Legacy’s wills team on 0800 773 4014 and quote ‘Bristol Museums Development Trust.’ They can help you find the best option for getting your will sorted. If you do need a complex will, the simple aspect of the will is still free, however you’ll receive a no-obligation quote for the additional work needed.

How can I write my will directly with a will writer/solicitor?

You can call Octopus Legacy’s wills team on 0800 773 4014 and quote Bristol Museums Development Trust, they will ask you a few questions about your needs and will book an appointment for you to speak with a solicitor/will writer. This can be done either:

• Over the phone
• Via video call
• A home visit
• Or in office (this will be dependant on location and not always available)

Is my will free when I write it directly with a will writer/solicitor?

Yes, a simple will is still free in partnership with Bristol Museums Development Trust when you use Octopus Legacy’s phone or face to face service. If however you have a complex estate, the will writer/solicitor will send you an non-obligated quote for the additional work and you can decide if you want to take it forward or not.

Why is the will free?

We’ve partnered with Octopus Legacy to make it even easier to get your will sorted and for you to support the causes you care about. Giving a gift in your will can have a huge impact for charities like us, helping us to make a real difference. But writing your will can sometimes feel overwhelming and difficult so we wanted to make the process clear and simple for our supporters. We’ve therefore paid for the wills to be written at a reduced cost. While many people choose to include a gift in their will there is no obligation to do so if you wish to use this service.

What’s the difference between online wills and DIY wills?

DIY Will Kits can be found at your local Post Office or stationery shop. They offer a simple guide to writing a will from scratch and are technically legally binding when signed with a witness. However, DIY Will Kits won’t work for everyone. You can learn more about Post Will Kits, their pros and cons, and the other options available here. This will help you work out what will work best for you.

Online will-writing services allow you to take the stress out of the process with easy-to-use tools and on-hand support. But their main benefit is that you can feel confident that your wishes will be followed – thanks to the fact each will is reviewed by a will expert to make sure it’s ship-shape before you sign it. This reduces the risk of your will being rendered invalid.