Animal Care Trust asks ‘Forget Me Knot’
14-20 September 2009
Highlighting the importance of legacies to the survival of charities, the Animal Care Trust (ACT), registered charity of the Royal Veterinary College, is taking part in ‘Forget Me Knot Week’ (September 14-20).
As part of the Remember A Charity consortium, the ACT will be directly engaging with solicitors and displaying posters in the RVC’s animal hospitals in order to raise awareness of the importance of gifts left in wills.
The ACT raises funds to support the RVC’s four animal hospitals by purchasing vital equipment, enhancing hospitals and building new ones. Every year the RVC’s hospitals and clinics treat thousands of family pets and animals. The RVC also pioneers new treatments for animal illnesses and trains the next generation of veterinary professionals who will continue to care for their future needs.
Jonathan Forrest, Director of Development at The Animal Care Trust says: “Legacies to the Animal Care Trust are invaluable to our work and help us secure a brighter future for all the animals in our care. For example our Paws for Cause appeal for the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals has raised a total of £5 million, of this, £1 million was donated through legacies. The hospital is now the largest veterinary teaching hospital in Europe and sees over 8,000 small animals each year.”
Other legacies, which have been vital to the ACT and the College, have enabled us to purchase equipment for our equine hospital and our first opinion practice in London, and more recently a restricted gift left to the Trust will be used towards researching cancer in cats and dogs.
Throughout the week supporters will be asked to do one simple thing: tie a ‘Forget Me Knot’. Then hopefully, when it comes to writing their will and they’ve taken care of their family, they’ll also remember to leave a gift to their favourite charities as well.
For further information about the Animal Care Trust and ‘Forget Me Knot Week’, or to make a donation visit www.rvc.ac.uk/bawam.
Notes for editors
- The Royal Veterinary College is the UK's first and largest veterinary school and a constituent College of the University of London. It also provides support for veterinary and related professions through its three referral hospitals, diagnostic services and continuing professional development courses. www.rvc.ac.uk
- The Royal Veterinary College Animal Care Trust’s registered charity number is 281571.
- Forget Me Knot Week (14-20 September 2009) is an awareness week organised by charity consortia Remember A Charity, which aims to shine a light on the importance of gifts in wills to charities. Currently only 7% of those that have wills go on to remember a charity. The forget-me-knot icon symbolises the act of remembering. To tie your own ‘virtual’ knot and show support for your charity, visit www.rememberacharity.org.uk
- Remember A Charity (www.rememberacharity.org.uk) was formed in 2000 and now has over 140 member charities, who work together to encourage more people to consider leaving a gift to charities in their will, after they’ve looked after their family and friends. Legacies (or gifts in wills) form the foundation of charities in the UK. Many charities depend on legacies, without them, they would not exist. The consortium is hosted by the Institute of Fundraising.
Further Information
To request further information or an interview please contact:
- Hannah Murray on 01727 737997
email: hannah@communicationsmanagement.co.uk - Phil Smith on 01727 850761
email: phil@communicationsmanagement.co.uk
The Royal Veterinary College
Established in 1791, the RVC is the UK’s longest-standing veterinary college—with a proud heritage of innovation in veterinary science, clinical practice and education.