Become a Life Guardian today to save lives in the future
When you make a Will, your first priority is to provide for your loved ones. But after they are looked after, you can support Surf Life Saving New Zealand by leaving a gift in your Will.
When you do this, you will be helping us to save even more lives for many years to come. Not by being a Lifeguard, but by becoming a Life Guardian.
Life Guardians are a special group of New Zealanders who have chosen to support Surf Life Saving New Zealand by leaving money in their Wills. The money you leave will contribute to the future operations of our charity and directly support future generations of volunteer surf lifeguards who give up their personal time to keep kiwis safe on the beach.
It’s simple to do, and any gift, big or small, will make a difference.
What Your Bequest Gift Will Achieve
Every bequest gift - no matter how big or small - can help SLSNZ. When you make a bequest to SLSNZ, you will be part of a legacy that helps reduce New Zealand’s fatal drowning toll.
What is a Will?
A Will outlines your wishes and how your estate should be managed after you have passed. A Will is also vital to making sure your family and loved ones will be looked after and cared for. A Will is an important legal document so we recommend that you consult with a legal professional before you begin.
What is a Bequest?
A bequest is a gift that a person includes in their Will, which is gifted to a charity after that person passes. Sometimes it’s called a legacy gift.
There are four types of bequests you can leave.
- Specific or pecuniary: A gift of property of specific possession, such as money or goods
- Residual: Everything that is left after specific or pecuniary legacies, taxes and debts.
- Percentage or fractional: A gift of a certain percentage of your estate.
- Entire Estate: The gift of an entire estate is usually made by those without any other beneficiaries.
Leaving a bequest to SLS New Zealand is a great way to ensure future generations of kiwi beach goers are safe on our beaches and our volunteer Surf Lifeguards and clubs are supported. Legacy gifts provide us with the security of knowing that our work can continue to keep people safe on our beaches and we can continue to tackle our appalling fatal drowning rate.
If you already have a Will and wish to leave a bequest to SLS New Zealand, it is possible to add a simple addition to your existing Will called a codicil. A codicil can be thought of as amendment or alteration that is intended to change a component of your Will. You can get further information on how to do this from your legal professional or use the following as a guide.
Wording your bequest
There are a number of different ways to make a bequest in your Will. If you do choose to leave a bequest to Surf Life Saving New Zealand, the following wording is suggested:
I give and bequeath to Surf Life Saving New Zealand Incorporated, Charity Registration Number: CC38280 for its general purposes
- the sum of $(XXXXX) OR
- the residue of my estate OR
- a (X) % share of the residue of my estate OR
- all my property comprised in (CERTIFICATE OF TITLE REFERENCE) and situated at (ADDRESS OF THE PROPERTY) free of all charges.
If any of my nominated beneficiaries precedes me, the bequest shall not fail but I give the share of my deceased beneficiary to Surf Life Saving New Zealand Incorporated and I declare that the receipt and acknowledgement in writing of the Chairman, President, Chief Executive or authorised officer of Surf Life Saving New Zealand Incorporated shall be sufficient to discharge to my Executors in respect of such payment.
Amending your Will
If you already have a Will and you would like to make a simple addition, you may add a Codicil to your existing Will. A Codicil is a legal term for a document that forms part of your Will. If you make a Codicil, you would use it as if you were writing a new Will.
If you don't have a current Will
It’s best to get in touch with your family solicitor or a trustee company, such as the Public Trust or NZ Guardian Trust. They’ll help you create a Will that reflects your wishes, ensuring they’re clearly understood, and can include a bequest to Surf Life Saving New Zealand as part of this process. To do this, you’ll need the full name and address of Surf Life Saving New Zealand which is:
Surf Life Saving New Zealand, Pelorus Trust Sports House, 93 Hutt Park Road, Seaview,
Lower Hutt City, Wellington 5010.
“By leaving a bequest in your Will to Surf Life Saving New Zealand, you will help ensure Surf Lifeguards will provide this great service on New Zealand beaches every year.”
Marilyn Moffat, President Surf Life Saving NZ
How will your bequest be used?
The money you leave in a Bequest can be used in any of three ways.
Option 1: you specify what your bequest will be spent on
Option 2: your bequest can be used immediately
Option 3: your bequest is invested for perpetuity
For the first option, you can specify exactly what you want your money to be used for. You can name a specific purpose or item, such as buying a new IRB or an All Terrain Vehicle.
The second option is for your bequest to be used in Surf Life Saving operations right now. That could be for things like Surf Lifeguard training, or the maintenance of surf lifesaving equipment.
The third option is that your bequest will live on for many, many years as part of the Surf Life Saving Foundation Fund.
The Surf Life Saving Foundation Fund
With this third option, your bequest will be invested by the Surf Life Saving Foundation. The Foundation have a special Fund that is managed by Craigs Investment Partners. The money is invested prudently and wisely.
The capital investment in this Fund is never touched. Instead the returns on the investment are used to support Surf Life Saving New Zealand on an ongoing basis.
It’s the perpetual nature of the Fund that appeals to many people. It allows the money you bequest to be there forever. So your children and their children will see the benefits.
We all want to leave a bit of a legacy. As a Life Guardian, you can do exactly that. The proceeds of your bequest can go on forever to support Surf Life Saving New Zealand and save lives on our beaches into the future.
Please Inform Us
If you choose to include a bequest to Surf Life Saving New Zealand, we would like to know so we can personally thank and acknowledge you in your life-time on behalf of our volunteer Surf Lifeguards and clubs.
With that in mind, you’ll receive a Life Guardian Lapel pin.
This is a discreet reminder of the special group of people you will be joining. People who are wanting the good work of Surf Life Saving New Zealand to continue for many years to come.
Surf Life Saving New Zealand will respect your privacy at all times and will not pass on any personal information and details to any external parties. All bequests are received and handled in the strictest confidence.
Any questions?
If you have any more questions, please email us at fundraising@surflifesaving.org.nz
