Giving in your Will

Be part of the GDST forever

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 and generations of talented girls and young women.

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.

We are hugely indebted to those who have recognised the importance of providing for the long-term financial support of the GDST in this way.

How to pledge a gift in your Will

We have an online legacy pledge form available here or, if you would prefer, you can print out and complete a paper version of our legacy pledge form.

GDST alumnae and friends can benefit from a free will-writing service via leading provider, Farewill – to take advantage of this opportunity, please get in touch.

If you would have questions 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.

If you are an executor or solicitor acting on behalf of an estate, please use these details to contact us so we can assist in achieving the intentions stated.

For general independent advice about leaving a gift in your Will to charity, you can visit the Remember A Charity website.

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.

As someone who has worked in girls’ education for over twenty years, I am well aware of the benefits of giving young women the best possible opportunities for leadership, creativity and personal aspiration.

It’s important that those who have benefited from the GDST should consider giving back whatever they can to ensure that talented girls from all backgrounds can fulfil their potential.”

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.

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    Over the years, these vital financial supports have been removed and bursary awards to bright girls are more reliant than ever on charitable funding. That is why we have founded the Oxford High School Sunflower Circle to encourage alumnae, past teachers and all those interested in the school, to arrange to leave legacies, for the benefit of the school, in their wills. I know that I am extremely grateful for the education I received and I want to ensure that girls in generations to come will benefit from the same high standard of education.”

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.

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    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.

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    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.

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