Leave a gift in your Will

Give care and support to local people affected by life-limiting illnesses through a gift in your Will.

a member of the care team at Martlets sitting with a patient and smiling at them

Thank you for considering leaving us a gift in your Will.

A gift in your Will will help us to continue caring for local people with life-limiting conditions for years to come, and that’s a wonderful gift to give.

Why leave a gift to Martlets?

A gift to Martlets – no matter the size – goes a long way.

It costs almost £12 million every year to run the hospice, with our NHS grant only funding around 22% of these costs.

Support and donations from individuals are our most important source of income. Almost a fifth of our funding comes from gifts in Wills and right now they’re needed more than ever, as demand for our services grows.

Get your guide to gifts in Wills

We’ve created a handy guide to leaving Martlets a gift in your Will, which includes information on the different kinds of gifts you can leave and the wording to use.

Enter your details to receive a copy instantly by email, or we’ll post you a printed copy if you prefer.

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Let’s keep in touch - your support changes lives

We help people do the things they love with the time they have. But we’re only able to do this with your generous support. That’s why we would like to keep you informed of our latest news, future fundraising activities, appeals and other ways in which you can support us

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We will not sell or give your contact details to any other organisation to use for their own purposes unless requested to by law. We’ll reach out to you every three years to make sure you are still happy to hear from us in the way you have requested. Our promise to you: We will keep your details safe, and we will only allow your information to be used by suppliers working on our behalf.

A man in a red t-shirt and a woman in a purple shirt sit with their heads pressed affectionately together, looking at the camera.

Being able to leave something in my Will to the hospice makes me feel very proud. I care about my community and would like my gift to be used to make someone’s life easier, just as they helped my son and us as a family.
- Paula, Gordon's mum

Read Paula's story

Frequently asked questions

There are lots of reasons why people choose to leave us a gift in their Will. Whatever leads to your decision, your kindness and consideration for others is something we cherish and never forget. We simply couldn’t continue our vital work without you.

We recommend you seek professional advice when making or amending your Will – a solicitor can help you with this. They can also advise whether your loved ones could benefit from a reduced Inheritance Tax rate.

The Inheritance Tax rate currently stands at 40%, which is payable on the remainder of your estate that goes above your threshold. By leaving 10% or more of your estate to charity you can reduce the Inheritance Tax rate to 36%.

We can collect any saleable items of furniture free of charge and leave the items we do not consider saleable for your executor to dispose of.

For a complete clearance including the packing up of goods and the removal of all furniture, the warehouse manager would need to make an appointment to view the property and contents and then give your executor a bespoke quotation to do this, with the funds for this coming from your estate. We are only able to undertake clearances in our local area and subject to availability.

If you would like to discuss any aspects on leaving a gift in your Will to St Barnabas House, please contact us at wills@southernhospicegroup.org.uk or on 01903 706325.

We’d love to know about any pledge you’ve made, so we can say a personal thank you, invite you to special events and show you the difference your support makes.

We also understand that whatever you decide is an entirely personal decision. Any information you share with us will be kept confidential and we will keep in touch only if you would like us to do so.

If you've already left a gift in your Will to Martlets, the creation of Southern Hospice Group (which encompasses Martlets, Chestnut Tree House and St Barnabas House) will not affect your gift. We will be able to honour your wish through a process already in place to make sure your donation is restricted to your chosen hospice.

While it's our preference that funds raised are unrestricted and can be spent wherever the need is greatest, we understand if you want to give specifically to Martlets.

Information for executors

We appreciate the complexity and time needed to complete the administration of an estate and are grateful for all the work carried out by executors, to realise gifts to our charity. If you need any assistance during the process, please contact our team at wills@southernhospicegroup.org.uk or on 01903 706351.

Meet the people you're helping

Family looking happy and smiling outdoors on a breezy day.

Caring for Sam on our inpatient ward

Blog Stories

Sam, who had motor neurone disease, received end-of-life care on Martlets inpatient ward in April 2025. Her husband Steve and daughter Evie talk about the difference hospice care made to Sam and their family.

Nathan and Bekki on their wedding day flanked by their children Cameron and Katelyn. The theme colours are white and mauve. Bekki carries a bouquet of mauve and white flowers, Katelyn is wearing a mauve bridesmaid's dress and the men wear mauve ties.

Nathan’s story: Bekki and I got married at Martlets

Blog Stories

Nathan’s wife Bekki was cared for at home by our community nursing team, and on our inpatient unit during her last weeks. The couple got married in our Sanctuary a week before Bekki died at the age of 34. Here, Nathan shares their story and talks about the support Martlets provided.

Patient and a hospice Health Care Assistant

Protect hospice care in Sussex

News Stories

Hospice care is more than you think, but funding gaps put it at risk. The High Sheriff of West Sussex, Dr Tim Fooks, is speaking with hospice leaders about the challenges facing care across Sussex, and what must change. You can read the full article via Sussex Express. Dignity and choice Hospice care is about dignity, choice, and comfort. Our ...