Pembroke College Cambridge

Leaving a Legacy to Pembroke

Legacies from past generations  have enabled the College to promote scholarship and research, to educate undergraduates and to develop and maintain its buildings and gardens for nearly seven centuries. All Members have benefited from this past generosity and the College is confident that the present generation will want to ensure that Pembroke's traditions of excellence are maintained for the benefit of current and future Junior Members. Pembroke is a charity (No. 1137492), so leaving a legacy bequest to the College should have tax benefits for your estate by reducing the amount liable to Inheritance Tax. In 2018-19 this is the excess over £325,000. Anyone choosing to support the College in this way can be sure that their gift will be used wisely and for the direct benefit of the College. Legacies can be directed towards specific areas but contributions marked 'for general purposes' are more flexible as they will allow the College to respond to changing needs in years to come. Permanent forms of recognition include the naming of Fellowships, Scholarships, rooms and staircases in the College. Membership of the Matthew Wren Society is open to anyone who has notified the College of their intention to benefit the College in their Will.

The Matthew Wren Society

All Members who inform the College that they have included Pembroke as a beneficiary in their Will become members of the Matthew Wren Society. Established in 1997, it gives the College the opportunity to thank legacy pledgers for their generosity, during their lifetime. An annual lunch is held in Michaelmas Term and members are most welcome to bring a guest with them. This year's lunch will take place on Saturday 13th October 2018. In addition, all members of the society are invited to the College's annual May Week Benefactors' Reception, in June. Members of the Society are also listed in the Annual Gazette, subject to their permission being given for their name to be published.

Wording

It is important that the correct wording is used when a bequest is made. The preferred wording is: "I give to the Master Fellows and Scholars of the College or Hall of Valence Mary commonly called Pembroke College in the University of Cambridge the residue / [a proportion] of the residue of my estate / the sum of £[amount] free of tax for the general purposes of the College and I declare that the receipt of the Treasurer for the time being of the College shall be a sufficient discharge to my executors."

Pembroke's legacy brochure can be read a as a pdf here. For more information, please contact Sally March on +44 (0)1223 339079.