My Legacy Month 2021

My Legacy Month is an initiative for the month of November during which My Legacy and 80 member charities, including Age Action, ask the public to consider leaving a legacy gift in their will to a charity they care about. But what exactly is a legacy? It is simply a gift, something that you can give after you have made provisions for loved ones or family members in your will.

At Age Action we recognise that every legacy gift we receive means that we have been remembered by someone in their will and so it is particularly meaningful to us. We welcome the financial benefit, which helps us continue and develop existing services or can kick start innovative new programmes or advocacy work, but more importantly the gift is evidence that the person believes that we have made, or can make, a positive difference in the lives older people in Ireland.

One of the larger legacies we have received to date was just over €100,000, which helped us to strengthen our Care and Repair programme to provide practical DIY and home repair support as well as social contact to older people with the aim of helping them to remain safe and independent in their own homes for as long as they wish. Age Action understands that as people get older, maintaining their home can become more difficult, particularly if they are experiencing mobility issues. Simply changing a lightbulb or weeding the garden can be challenging and paying someone to do it can be expensive for people who depend on the State Pension. 

We also receive regular smaller legacy gifts, which are just as important and meaningful to us and highlight that anyone can plan to include a cause, like Age Action, in their will regardless of the size of their estate.

Caroline O’Connell, Head of Fundraising at Age Action said, “Leaving a legacy gift to Age Action means that we can continue to make a difference for Ireland’s ageing population into the future by advancing age equality, challenging ageism, and providing advocacy and programme supports. We would encourage everyone to consider what they would like their personal legacy to be.”

To find out more about My Legacy Month, including how to make a will to ensure that your wishes are carried out, you can visit mylegacy.ie or if you want to talk about how your legacy gift could make a difference to Age Action you can contact Caroline at headoffundraising@ageaction.ie.

Equally, we know many people like to make a gift in memory of a loved one they have lost, particularly those who have passed during the COVID-19 pandemic. We sincerely thank you for considering Age Action for this honour. If you would like to make a gift in memory of a loved one this year, please find more information below.