Recent legacy gifts that have made a difference
We have recently received some very generous gifts from our alumnae and friends which will continue to support the work of the GDST and our schools.
Hear are some examples of our most recent gifts.
We hope that you feel your time at a GDST school had a positive influence on your life, or on the life of someone close to you. Remembering the GDST in your will is one of the most personal and significant ways you can help our schools and support the future of the GDST.
Legacy gifts often take the form of a specific sum of money or a percentage of a person’s estate. All legacy gifts, whatever type or size, play a vital role in our work and can have a transformative impact.
Currently, our priority is to be able to expand our bursary programme to enable more talented girls, no matter their background, to receive the opportunity of a GDST education. However, legacy gifts can also be directed to other areas of benefit, such as academic/extra-curricular prizes or capital developments. Alternatively, you may wish to allow the GDST to determine the most effective use of your legacy gift at the time of receipt.
- For advice about leaving a gift in your will to charity, you can visit the Remember A Charity website.
- If you would like to know more about leaving a legacy to the GDST, please contact the Philanthropy Team via email giving@wes.gdst.net or by calling +44(0)20 7393 6898.
- We have an online legacy pledge form available below or, if you would prefer, you can print out and complete a paper version of our legacy pledge form.
- If you are an executor or solicitor acting on behalf of an estate, please contact us on the details above so that we can provide the correct bank details based on how the gift is to be used.
We are hugely indebted to those who have recognised the importance of providing for the long-term financial support of GDST in this way. Below you can read testimonials from individuals who have pledged to leave a gift in their will to the GDST and also stories of those who have sadly passed on, but whose gift will always remain a part of the GDST.
Those who pledge a legacy gift to the GDST or any of our individual schools are invited to become a member of our Minerva Circle. Members will be recognised in our annual Philanthropic Review and will be invited to our annual ‘Evening of Thanks’ celebration.
Be part of shaping tomorrow.
Amanda Triccas, Portsmouth High School, 1984
“The first-class education I received at Portsmouth High School gave me self-confidence, lasting friends and a strong scholarly grounding which allowed me to choose the future I wanted.
Dorothy Whittington, Oxford High School, 1948
“My GDST generation benefited from state financial support to help pay our school fees and girls were awarded places on academic merit, not on whether their families could pay. When I was at school the Butler Education Act turned us into a direct-grant school. All books became free, and fees became related to parental income, which helped a lot of families including mine, as my fees dropped from 13 to 10 guineas a term, which was a great help.
Hilary Williams, Royal High School Bath, 1963
Hilary Williams left Bath High School in 1963. Hilary’s generous bequest to the Royal High School Bath came as no surprise to the many people whose lives she touched.
She was very involved in the alumnae community and continued to provide years of service to her school. She relished achieving results through others by encouraging, empowering and supporting. Enabling future girls to benefit from all the opportunities that her much-treasured education at Bath High School afforded her would have given her great satisfaction.
Hilary was immensely dedicated to the school through years of unswerving support, especially during challenging times. ‘She showed much kindness and was a thoroughly good sort, who cared very deeply about the School and the Alumnae Association.’ Whilst Hilary is much missed, her legacy will continue to enable motivated girls and women.
Hilary once said: “I am all in favour of doing what you want to do; I’ve made a career of it.”
Her legacy gift will be used to support the bursary fund at Royal High School Bath.
Marjorie Macaulay, Streatham & Clapham High School
Marjorie Macaulay was a pupil at Streatham & Clapham High School and taught at Nottingham Girls’ High School.
Marjorie later held the position of head of the English department at South Hampstead High School, from 1954 to 1976, and left a gift of £20,000 in memory of her over 20 stimulating years at the school. Her gift has been dedicated to improving library resources.
As a former pupil and teacher, Marjorie also left £100,000 to the GDST Girls First Bursary Fund to enable us to offer an outstanding education to girls who would otherwise be denied it.
Pledge today
If you have decided to remember the Girls’ Day School Trust or a GDST school in your Will, we would be grateful if you could let us know by completing and submitting the form below, which can help with our long-term planning and keeping in touch with you.
This does not commit you to any course of action and even if you have included a gift in your Will, you are free to change your mind at any time.