Gift in will

Your legacy will make a difference

Leave a Gift in Your will

Leaving a gift in your will to the Stuttering Treatment and Research Trust (START) can change the lives of people who stutter.  Such a gift can often benefit not only an individual but also their family or whānau, and the wider community.  We ask you to consider leaving a gift in your will to support the vital work START does with people of all ages who stutter.   While discussing death can be challenging, it’s a certainty of life, and having a will is crucial.  A will is a legal document that outlines what happens to your property and belongings after you die. You don’t have to be wealthy to leave a gift to START. We appreciate any and all gifts, recognising that generosity is at the heart of each one. We encourage you to prioritise your family when making your will.  After considering your loves ones, you may decide to support START’s work. There are various ways to leave a gift in your will:
  • specifying an amount of money
  • specifying an item of property
  • specifying a percentage of the total value of your estate, which adjusts as your estate changes leaving the residue (what is left after debts are paid and provisions for family and others are made) 
  • in rare cases, some people may choose to leave their entire estate to a cause, depending on their circumstances  
If you would like to discuss leaving a gift in your will to START or need more information, we would be happy to talk with you or visit you, whichever is more convenient. All such conversations are confidential upon request. Your privacy is very important to us. If you decide to support our work in your will, we would like to thank you personally.  You can also specify how you would like your gift acknowledged and whether you want it to support a particular part of our work or a specific purpose.
No amount is too small; every dollar supports our important work. We recommend consulting your lawyer or legal advisor when writing your will to ensure it is legally binding, and your family and named causes can benefit. If you already have a will, leaving a gift to START is simple and quick. You can inform your lawyer or legal advisor that you would like to add a codicil to your will. A codicil is a simple statement that can be added to your existing will to alter or modify it. A simple codicil form is attached here or your lawyer can draw one up for you. The wording that we suggest for inclusion in your will or codicil is: I give and bequeath to Stuttering Treatment and Research Trust (Charity Registration Number CC30201) [a sum of money/%of my estate/residue of my estate/specific asset(s)] for the general purposes of the said charity and I direct that the receipt of the Treasurer or other duly authorised officer shall be a sufficient discharge to my Executors/Trustees.  

To discuss leaving a gift in your will, please contact Janelle Irvine, Executive Director and Clinical Leader of START on 09 579 6775 or send an enquiry by clicking here . Janelle or Eric Allan, Chair of the START Board of Trustees would be happy to speak with you.

“I am very pleased to be leaving a gift in my will to START,” says Dean Cook. “I was introduced to START at a time in my life when I needed help to make a positive change with my speech. Leaving university, I had big plans for myself and my career, but I didn’t have the skills or tools to control my stutter. It was holding me back. START gave me those tools, taught me how to use them when speaking and enabled me to take control of my speech. My speaking improved and my confidence grew which allowed me to achieve the goals I had set myself. START played a vital role for me at a critical time. I know it has done the same for others. My hope is the gift I am leaving in my will allows START to continue its fantastic work, helping others like me for many years to come.” – Dean Cook
Dean START Board
“Stuttering is a funny thing I always think because it is often invisible. You don’t notice it until someone who stutters starts to speak! Partly because of this but for other reasons too I think that it is a bit of a niche concern, yet it is major to those it affects. For this reason it is really important to me that those of us who care about people who stutter support the work of START. I have lived with my stutter all my life. As a young person, at a time when there was little effective treatment, it was very tough at times. Later things improved and I came to know that speech language therapy and START can make a real difference to people who stutter. START has built great credibility over these past 25 years with the way it has changed many lives. Not only do I want to support START to help children and people of all ages while I am alive, I also want to keep helping them after I have died. So, while I have looked after those dear to me in my will, I have also made sure that START is top of the list of registered charities I want to leave a gift to when I die. As one who has worked in the community sector for many years I know what a profound difference leaving a gift in your will can make to a small but critical service like START. I feel very privileged to be able to make this contribution and to know that the vital work of START will be supported after I have died.” – Anonymous