Legacies

Judith Anderson (English & History, 1969) has chosen to make a bequest to the Keele Hardship Fund, a gift which will directly impact the welfare of students studying at Keele.

‘’I know I benefited greatly from my time at Keele and I particularly appreciated the breadth of the degree course and the fact that I made so many good friends across many disciplines.

I ended up teaching in Cardiff University for the latter part of my career, which included teaching English as a Foreign Language overseas and in the UK. I know that my generation had an easier ride in Higher Education and did not have to grapple with student debt. So, my bequest seems a good and practical way to help current students during their time at Keele"

Making a Will is an important way of looking after the future of your family and friends. After you've taken care of loved ones, you may wish to consider leaving a gift in your Will to support Keele University to plan for its future with confidence and mark your time at Keele.

For many of our alumni, studying at Keele has been transformational. Lives have been changed and enjoyed in ways that would not have been possible, or in some cases imaginable. Keele University alumni have gone on to make a difference.

Giving back to Keele University can create opportunities for our students, enhance the research undertaken by our graduates, academics and partners, provide essential funding for new facilities and ultimately lead to positive impacts on the local community and beyond.

How your gifts have helped

Gus Nabney

Gordon ‘Gus’ Nabney was Director of Physical Recreation at Keele 1966-94. A native of Stoke-on-Trent, in 1966, Gus successfully secured the post of Superintendent in the new sports centre at Keele and spent the following twenty-seven years thoroughly enjoying himself within his ‘dream vocation’ rising to become the Director of Physical Recreation.

Greta, Gus and family spent countless happy hours walking and exploring the woodland, fields and lakes as campus residents. They were interested in culture and heritage initiatives and those strands that sought to achieve closer connection between the University’s core education and research missions and its role as a local cultural anchor. Therefore, it seemed a fitting tribute that the legacy gift left by Gus and Greta, was dedicated to the enhancement of the Keele Arboretum through the Edible Campus community project. The project consists of three main strands.

1. Plant edible trees (fruit and nut) and herbs across campus in accessible areas.

2. Map out and label edible trees/plants on campus, creating walk routes.

3. ‘Running Campus’ foraging walks. Work is now underway to map out all areas on campus that currently have edible food sources growing. This work will allow Keele to create a planting schedule and identify the key areas for planting.

 

Eleanor Will

Eleanor Will studied Geography and Politics at Keele, graduating in 1959 before beginning a career which saw her teaching in Pakistan and volunteering in France and India. She enjoyed a passion for travel and visited all 7 continents.

When she sadly passed away in 2020, it was thought a fitting tribute that the legacy Eleanor had kindly left to Keele should be used to provide a travel bursary which focuses on supporting students who may not otherwise be able to afford all the opportunities available to them.

 

John Harris

Mr Harris left £50,000 to the University in his will, for the provision of Library resources. 

 

Why I support

"My life was transformed by Keele.  At the University, I found stimulation, opportunities, encouragement and support to pursue the interests and enthusiasms that shaped my future.  It feels both satisfying and natural to support Keele, celebrating the time my wife Ros and I spent there, and helping this place, which embodies our shared values and beliefs, to keep helping students shape their futures."

Phil Davies (Class of 1971), Alumnus and Donor

 
Types of Legacy

A Residuary Gift

This is a gift of all or part of the value of your estate, once all your other commitments have been settled. This is the most flexible way of supporting Keele University, as the value of your gift will adjust with the value of your estate. For example, 1% of your estate would make a significant impact to students at Keele

A Pecuniary Gift

This is a gift of a specific sum of money (e.g. £1,000). You may wish to protect this gift against the effects of inflation by asking your Solicitor to ensure that it is index linked.

A Specific Gift (of an object)

If you are thinking of leaving an object to Keele University in your Will, please speak to a member of the team first so that we can advise whether we will be able to accept the gift.

Making a Will

Writing a Will doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming. You can find a qualified solicitor in your local area using the Law Society website.

All legacy enquiries from individuals or solicitors should be directed through the alumni office alumni.hq@keele.ac.uk

Keele University is an exempt charity listed in Schedule 3 of the Charities Act 2011. Our charity exempt number is X80032

Legal name and correspondence address:

Our legal name is The University of Keele, trading as Keele University.

The University's registered correspondence address is:
Keele University,
Keele,
Staffordshire,
ST5 5BG

Reduce your inheritance tax

Gifts to charities are exempt from inheritance tax which means that leaving a gift to Keele may help reduce your tax liability. If you leave 10% or more of the net value of your estate to charity in your Will, your estate will qualify for inheritance tax at the reduced rate of 36% rather than 40%. Everyone’s tax situation is different. Your solicitor will be able to tell you more about the ways charitable giving may reduce inheritance tax on your estate.

Keep us updated

If you are considering leaving a gift to Keele University in your Will, we would love to hear from you so that we can help you with any information you need and thank you personally. Our legators receive our annual Impact Magazine, updates from Keele, and invites to special events such as our Philanthropy Day reception.

To talk personally about your wishes for remembering Keele University in your Will, please contact the Advancement Team on +44 (0)1782 732978 or email alumni.hq@keele.ac.uk.