“Hope is a luxury you can’t afford
– until you find Odyssey”

Why leave a gift

With a gift in your will you have the power to help someone with cancer rebuild their life.

Cancer affects a person’s mind often as much if not more than their physical body.  We are the only charity offering 5-day residential programmes, using the majesty of the outdoors, journeying through the unknown, facing new challenges and having fun with peer and professional support – we help people overcome the psychological impact of cancer.  We like to think we rebuild broken spirits.  The cost is free to the cancer patient, but the impact is priceless.  Like a ripple in a pond, our impact reaches far beyond the individual, stretching out to family, friends and the wider community

Our programme takes just five days, the difference like your gift, lasts a lifetime.

For over 25 years participants have been telling us that Odyssey has transformed  their lives. It has helped them to:

• Deal with uncertainty
• Face the future with new optimism and confidence
• Return to work
• Become a mum, dad, wife, husband again
• Become more physically active
• Take up a hobby or start volunteering
• Return to college
• Engage with the community
• Appreciate life

In a recent survey of people who had attended Odyssey over the past 10 years it was found that the positive impact of a course was one which had had a lasting outcome on their lives.

One of the ways you could support Odyssey is to leave a gift in your will. Whether you are amending your current will, or drawing up a new one it is relatively simple (and tax efficient) to leave a gift. However, it is important that you seek professional legal advice and are aware that all charitable legacies are exempt from tax. Our Legacy leaflet can be downloaded here

You may find the following wording helpful when drawing up your will:

To leave a legacy to Odyssey for a set sum (a Pecuniary legacy)

“I give free of tax the sum of £…….. to The Odyssey Project (Registered Charity Number:1045259) of 37 St Margaret’s St, Canterbury, CT1 2TU for the general purposes of Odyssey, and I declare that the receipt of their Treasurer or other proper officer shall be a full and sufficient discharge to my Trustee(s)”.

To leave a legacy to Odyssey for a percentage of your estate (a Residuary legacy)

“Subject to the payment of my just debts, funeral and testamentary expenses, I give the whole of my estate both real and personal property to The Odyssey Project (Registered Charity Number:1045259) of 37 St Margaret’s St, Canterbury, CT1 2TU for the general purposes of Odyssey, and I declare that the receipt of their Treasurer or other proper officer shall be a full and sufficient discharge to my Trustee(s)”.

To leave a Specific legacy to Odyssey

“I give my (description of specified item) free of tax to The Odyssey Project (Registered Charity Number:1045259) of 37 St Margaret’s St, Canterbury, CT1 2TU for the general purposes of Odyssey, and I declare that the receipt of their Treasurer or other proper officer shall be a full and sufficient discharge to my Trustee(s)”.

Please do let us know if you decide to leave a legacy to Odyssey, so that we can thank you properly on behalf of those who will benefit.

Our promise to you

We will never telephone you about this way of giving, never ask your intentions, it’s none of our business.  We promise every gift in every will, however large or small will be used wisely and make a difference.