Legacies: Abiding Gifts that Live On

Bridge with punts and flowers

Bridge with punts and flowers

Bridge with punts and flowers

“A Cambridge Education is truly priceless and I leave a legacy to Darwin in the fervent hope that it will open up this unique opportunity to as many others as is possible.”
Anna Dyer (Darwin, 2000)

Some alumni tell us that their financial commitments make it difficult to give to the College in their lifetime – but that they would be very happy to include the College in their Will. Arranging to leave a legacy is a straightforward way to donate to the College without current financial security being affected in any way.

Thank you if you have already included Darwin in your Will. Indeed, many alumni tell us when the College has been listed as a beneficiary and in return, we offer our heartfelt thanks and exclusive access to College events through the 1885 Legator Society.

In recent years, the College has gratefully received legacy donations from the estates of alumni and supporters that have funded many diverse activities including - Student Scholarships, Support in Research and Training, the Darwin Lecture Series and general College funds.

In fact, Professor Hugh Mellor, a former Fellow of Darwin, whose obituary you can find in this newsletter, has left a generous legacy to the College funding Philosophy Studentships. It was a decision that he was pleased to inform the College of some years ago: this meant that we could personally thank him, and he had the knowledge that his bequest would help students attending Darwin to flourish in his specialism, while enjoying the unique academic atmosphere of the College.

Anna Dyer similarly said:
“Darwin – and the wider University - gave me the opportunity to converse with some of the greatest minds in many fields; make life-long friends from around the globe; discover strengths I never knew I possessed and changed my future for the better.”

We encourage anyone interested in donating this way to talk it through in confidence with the Development Director and with a Solicitor. The College has a short booklet giving suggested wording which might be helpful, it can be found on our website, or you can contact the Development Office to have a copy posted to you.

Flowers in the Rain, with bikes in the background

Flowers in the Rain, with bikes in the background

Flowers in the Rain, with bikes in the background