A legacy gift is more than giving – it’s about creating a future for generations to come, where education unlocks potential and research drives progress.
By remembering the University in your will, you can make a lasting difference.
Your generosity can shape the future for students who might otherwise never access a world-class education, inspire innovative and ground-breaking research, and help ensure that talent – not circumstance – defines success.
Pledging a legacy gift will cost you nothing today, but will be of immense value to the University for many years to come, and allow you to support the causes you care about far into the future.
Legacies can be used to support many different aspects of the University's work, and we would be happy to discuss your ideas and intentions so that your gift will have maximum impact when the time comes.
Your questions answered
You’re likely to have questions about writing or updating your will and about how to include a bequest to The ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏÍø.
Our frequently asked questions page provides answers to some of the most common queries we receive.
Please get in touch if you would like to discuss legacy giving in confidence:
Janice Galvin, Fundraising Manager
Email: j.galvin@reading.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)118 378 3605
Case studies
Legacy gifts have played a vital role in the history of the University and have helped shape the world-leading institution we know and love today.
Recent bequests are delivering real impact.
- Dr Patricia Milner’s bequest is being used to support mental health and wellbeing resources for students.
- Professor Cyril Tyler’s gift has created a research prize supporting early career researchers and also provided resources for the Library and for the Community Festival.
- John Bysouth’s bequest is supporting work with the University archives to digitise records in the Special Collections.
- Professor Jane Gardner’s legacy gift has supported the Department of Classics with a generous scholarship fund for PhD studentships.
- Dr David Malcolm Smith’s unrestricted bequest is now funding 10 different initiatives including: funds for staff networking activities, a research project in digital humanities, a staff post supporting research at The National Fruit Collection, community outreach with the Centre for Autism Wellbeing hub, and support for students with disabilities.
