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Legacies

Let music be your legacy

“I give a legacy to family members. The Glasshouse and Royal Northern Sinfonia are family.”

The Glasshouse is a place where music lives and grows, where Royal Northern Sinfonia has its home, where people can come together to enjoy the world’s best live music, and where tomorrow’s music stars can blossom.

As a charity, much of what we do is only possible thanks to donations and gifts in Wills. Perhaps you would like to leave a musical legacy?

Large or small, your musical legacy will make magical musical moments possible for generations to come – from spine-tingling performances on stage, to a little person’s jaw dropping as they hold an instrument for the first time.

“Live music gives us such pleasure. We’d love others to experience the joy that music brings. That’s why we’ve left a legacy to The Glasshouse and its orchestra, Royal Northern Sinfonia.”

23) Sage Gateshead audience 1 - Credit Thomas Jackson

How to leave a legacy

Whether you are making or updating your Will, it can be quick, simple and not as expensive as you might think.

If you’d like help with preparing or amending your Will, we recommend you talk to a qualified solicitor who’s a pro at this. We’ve had a look at the Law Society website and compiled an A-Z list of some of the solicitors in the North East who offer advice and guidance on will writing.

If you’d like to be sent this list, or you’d like more information, contact Natalie Heath, Development Manager at The Glasshouse on 0191 443 5038 or email natalie.heath@theglasshouseicm.org.

You can say as much or as little as you want, and of course there’s no obligation – every choice is entirely yours.

Useful Information

What information do I need to include when leaving a gift in my Will to The Glasshouse International Music Centre (North Music Trust)?

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To leave a gift in your Will to our charity, the most important information you’ll need is our registered charity details.

Our Charity Name: North Music Trust
Charity Address: The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, St Mary’s Square, Gateshead, NE8 2JR
Registered Charity Number: 1087445

How do I change or update by Will?

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A solicitor can help you to add a special form, called a codicil, to your existing Will. Making changes yourself without seeking legal advice could make your existing Will invalid.

Is legacy giving tax efficient?

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Yes, all legacy gifts to charities are free from inheritance tax. Your solicitor can explain the benefits to you. And there’s also plenty of government advice on inheritance tax.

What type of gift can I leave to North Music Trust?

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Whatever the size, large or small, legacies make the extraordinary possible: inspiring future generations of musicians, reaching new audiences, keeping traditions alive and spreading the joy of live music to more people for years to come.

  • A pecuniary gift is a fixed sum of money and is likely to be among the first gifts to be made from your estate.
  • A residuary gift is a share of the ‘residue’ of your estate, once other obligations and gifts to loved ones have been made.
  • A specific gift is the gift of a specific item, such as a piece of art, property, shares or a musical instrument. Specific gifts can be left to our charity to sell, or to be held according to your instructions.

I’ve left a gift in my Will to Northern Sinfonia Trust. Do I need to update it?

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The Northern Sinfonia Trust (registered charity number 509792) is the former charitable name associated with our orchestra before it gained its ‘Royal’ title. In 2013 Northern Sinfonia Trust was fully amalgamated into North Music Trust.

If your existing Will includes a legacy gift to Northern Sinfonia Trust, please speak to your solicitor to update your Will. This will ensure we are able to accept your legacy gift and that we can honour your wishes to support the orchestra in the way you have specified.

You can specify that you’d like your gift to benefit Royal Northern Sinfonia and then your contribution will support the orchestra.

Can I specify which area of the charity’s work my legacy should go to?

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Unrestricted gifts to our charity (North Music Trust) are particularly welcome. They allow us to use your gift wherever it is needed most.

However, it’s fine if you’d prefer to support a particular area of our work, such as Royal Northern Sinfonia or our work with young people. Just get in touch to let us know. And make sure your solicitor knows too, so the correct wording can be added to your Will to make sure your wishes are met.

Thanking you

Whether you have made a gift to us in your Will or are thinking of doing so, we’d love to hear from you.

We’d really like to thank you and keep you connected to all the mighty and magical music that gifts make possible. You can of course keep this to yourself: we hope you know how grateful you are.

If you’d like to get in touch, please contact Natalie Heath, Development Manager at The Glasshouse on 0191 443 5038 or email natalie.heath@theglasshouseicm.org.