One of the most impactful gifts you could ever make.
Imagine realising one day that all your friends and family have gone from your life. As we get older, our social circles diminish, and we find ourselves with fewer and fewer people to turn to. Loneliness can be cruel, and it affects millions of people over 75 who live in social isolation. It can be as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
After you’ve provided for your loved ones, even a small gift to Re-engage could leave a legacy of friendship to older people across the UK for generations to come.
Why choose Re-engage?
Since 1965, we’ve been one of the few charities solely committed to tackling the issue of loneliness and social isolation affecting older people by helping them to re-engage through regular social contact, giving them a lifeline of friendship.
Loneliness is not only miserable, but it also has a damaging effect on physical and mental health – leading to an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, blood pressure and obesity, cognitive decline, dementia, depression in later life, and it can be predictive of suicide in older age.
Your support matters. You can help make a lasting change to the lives of isolated older people across all our services providing meaningful social connections to enrich their lives.
“Loneliness isn’t something you notice when you’re young, I certainly didn’t. But then it creeps up on you and suddenly you realise so many people have gone. But these tea-parties lift that burden, and you get a chance to make new friends and feel connected.”
Tea party guest
“I live on my own and so it can be hard to motivate myself. But the classes give me reason to be active."
Activity group participant
“It means a lot to have someone to chat with every week. My family keep in touch, but it’s nice to talk to someone who isn’t in the family. It gives one the sense of being valued by society. The person who calls me has become a friend and I’m not someone who’s ever been particularly good at making new friendships. After the calls I always feel a sense of relief that somebody out there values my company.”
Call companion older person
By leaving a gift to Re-engage, you will be bringing companionship back into the life of an older person and helping to fight the loneliness epidemic in the UK.
Any gift you’re able to give is very gratefully received.
All gifts are special and meaningful
Sometimes we are given particularly poignant gifts by our supporters, such as Joan, who was a volunteer driver for Re-engage for many years. You can read more about Joan’s story.
Your questions answered
When making or updating your will, we recommend that you get professional advice from a solicitor. To help you organise your thoughts and have all the relevant information to hand before you visit your solicitor we’ve produced a Will Planner. We hope this’ll be useful for you and help you to make your wishes known. If you don’t already have a solicitor you can search for one on the Law Society website.
Yes. Re-engage have partnered with Kwil to offer our supporters their premium online will writing service for free. There is no cost to Re-engage and you don’t need to leave a gift to us to use their online service. Write your will.
If you don’t have a will we recommend that you visit the Law Society website for a list of legal professionals. You will be able to find a solicitor locally to help you prepare your will. Remember, if you die without making a will, you will be classed as dying ‘intestate’ and your estate may not be distributed as you had wished.
When visiting your solicitor you will need to take the following details with you:
Our name: Re-engage
Registered address: 7 Bell Yard, London, WC2A 2JR
Registered charity number: 1146149 (England and Wales) and SC039377 (Scotland)
There are many ways to leave a gift in a will. Your solicitor will be able to help you, but here is a snapshot of the most common routes:
A gift of money in your will – a pecuniary gift.
This is where you choose to leave us a specific amount of money.
A specific gift in your will - a specific gift.
You can choose to leave us a specific item, such as jewellery or property.
A share of your estate – a residuary gift.
Once you have taken care of your loved ones, you can leave a share of, or the remainder of your estate to Re-engage’s work.
A gift when a trust ends - a reversionary gift.
This is where you set up a trust in your will so that someone can enjoy the benefit of some money or property during their lifetime. Afterwards, the remaining money or property would come to Re-engage’s work.
Any money left to charity in a will is free from Inheritance Tax, however, this is a complex area and we recommend that you seek professional advice if in doubt. Please see www.gov.uk/inheritance-tax for more information.
By letting us know your intentions it will help us to plan more effectively. It also gives us a chance to thank you. Any information you provide is confidential and in no way legally binding.
You are free to amend your will at any time. We understand that circumstances change. All we ask is that you notify us if you do change your mind as it helps us to plan for the older people we serve.
To find out more please contact Kitty Blackwell at info@reengage.org,uk or call the office on 020 7240 0630
Information you need to include in your will
If you'd like to include Re-engage in your will, please ask your solicitor to use our full name and details to ensure the gift reaches us. These are:
Re-engage, a registered charity in England and Wales (1146149) and in Scotland (SC039377).
Company Number (07869142) Registered Office: 7 Bell Yard, London, WC2A 2JR
If you have any questions please contact us at info@reengage.org.uk or
- Freephone: 0800 716543
- Office phone: 020 7240 0630