Meet others who have chosen to include gifts in their Wills

Peter and Angela – “Be kind and give back"

Angela was 13 and living with her family on a farm in Gippsland, when a house fire saw them lose everything. BSL was one of the charities that was there to help Angela and her family.

It seemed natural to Angela once she finally got her own home at the age of 30 to start donating to charities. It’s part of the reason both she and her husband Peter have decided to include gifts to BSL in their Wills.

“We want to make sure BSL continue doing good work and help more people.”

For both Angela and Peter, the decision to include a gift in their Wills was clear.

“We’re grateful that we have a very good life and feel it’s important to simply be kind and give back. That’s it."

Wendy – “BSL is right there at the forefront"

“Life presents us all with many hurdles and negatives to confront. It is in recognising and accepting that we are not alone or need to be alone in seeking assistance that allows us to re-focus forward.

“My parents were wonderful examples of philanthropic involvement in various organisations, especially the Brotherhood of St. Laurence, using their wonderful musical talents for significant fund-raising events. They both received 30 year Awards from BSL.

“As a teenager, I recall several Christmas Day lunches when my father would return from the BSL Carrum Downs Settlement for elderly men experiencing disadvantage and return with a pre-arranged guest.

“With a background in education and music across all age-groups and varying economic circumstances and communities, I am very cognisant of the positive roles that education, employment opportunities and family support programs play, especially in the lives of young people and their pathways to a productive, confident future within their family and their community.

“BSL is right there at the forefront. With on-going, continued support from those of us who leave a gift to BSL in our will, may its great work ever continue.

“It gives me much pleasure to have made arrangements to do just this.”

Melanie – “The world needs organisations like BSL"

Melanie has always had a soft spot for BSL.

“My Dad, a psychiatrist, saw people with alcohol and drug and family problems and he always spoke highly of BSL and their services” says Melanie. “They were one of the charities that he thought did the most good.”

“It's actually about empowering people in the longer term.”

Melanie has been supporting BSL for more than 30 years. She admires BSL’s work in education. “BSL does not just look at helping people here and now. It also looks into the future at the systems and causes of poverty, as well as alleviating the effects of poverty.”

When she made her Will, Melanie decided to include a gift to BSL. “As a writer I don’t make a lot. Including a gift in my Will was a way of giving a bit more.”

Melanie believes the world needs organisations like BSL. “BSL is a really important organisation. It needs to have a very long life, because poverty and marginalisation won't disappear anytime soon. The world needs that”, says Melanie.