Gifts in Wills
After looking after the people you love, a gift in your Will to Bendigo Health Foundation can help future generations across our region access the care, equipment and support they need, close to home and the people who matter most.
A gift for the future
Your Will is first and foremost a way to care for the people closest to you and make your wishes clear. By leaving a gift in your Will to Bendigo Health Foundation, you can help strengthen local healthcare for your friends, family and community now and into the future.
For many people, Bendigo Health has been part of some of the most important moments in their lives - welcoming a new baby, receiving life-changing treatment, caring for a loved one or saying goodbye. A gift in your Will can honour that connection and help ensure the same care is there for generations to come.
Over time, these gifts will support advances in medical equipment, patient comfort, wellbeing programs, regional research and the skills of the people who provide care in our community.
Gifts in Wills come in all sizes, and every gift can play a part in strengthening local healthcare for future generations. A percentage of an estate, or what remains after other gifts have been made, can become a lasting expression of your values.
Supporter story
For Bendigo Health Foundation supporter Helen Gobbé, leaving a gift in her Will reflects a lifelong belief in giving back and sharing what you can.
“We worked hard all our life and had accumulated a little bit of money. My mother used to say, ‘Don’t have the most expensive seat in the house.’ Meaning, don’t just spend your money on your house, make sure you are charitable.”
Helen Gobbé, Bendigo Health Foundation supporter
Helen describes the joy of giving as something unlike anything else:
Watch Helen’s story“You get more giving than what you do receiving. It’s compared to nothing else.”
Helen Gobbé, Bendigo Health Foundation supporter
The difference your gift can make
Healthcare needs will continue to evolve. A gift in your Will gives Bendigo Health Foundation the flexibility to respond to future priorities and help Bendigo Health provide excellent care for the people who need it.
Help bring advanced equipment, research and treatment capability to our regional health service.
Future gifts can support specialised equipment, medical research and innovative services that help clinicians diagnose, treat and care for patients locally. This means more people can receive high-quality care without travelling away from their support networks.
Support the practical comforts and wellbeing services that make difficult days a little easier.
Excellent healthcare is about more than treatment alone. Gifts can help provide supportive therapies, welcoming spaces, patient clothing, family resources and other thoughtful initiatives that protect dignity and improve the experience of patients and loved ones.
Build the people, programs and access our growing regional community will need next.
By supporting scholarships, training, accommodation and regionally led programs, future gifts can strengthen the skills and services available across the Loddon Mallee. This helps more people receive the right care, in the right place, close to home.
Ways to give
There are several ways to include Bendigo Health Foundation in your Will. The right choice depends on your wishes, your estate and the people you want to provide for. A solicitor can help you decide what is most appropriate for you.
You can leave a percentage of your estate. The value of your gift will adjust as the value of your estate changes.
You can leave a nominated sum of money.
You may be able to leave a particular asset, such as shares or property.
Practical next steps
Choose the approach that is right for you
Making or updating a Will is an important personal decision. It helps protect the people you care about and ensures your wishes are understood.
Before you begin, consider who you want to provide for, who you will appoint as executor and whether you would like to include a gift to Bendigo Health Foundation.
Many people choose to work with a solicitor, particularly where family arrangements, trusts, businesses, overseas assets or other circumstances are complex. The right option is the one that suits your needs and gives you confidence that your Will properly reflects your wishes.
Bendigo Health Foundation does not provide legal advice. We encourage you to seek independent advice and to review your Will whenever your life or family circumstances change.
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Bendigo
For your solicitor
The following wording is proposed as a starting point for legal review:
Legal wording
“I give to the Bendigo Health Foundation, (insert the type of gift for example, the residue of my estate/the sum of $.......... or ..........% of my residuary estate/details of specific asset(s) to the Bendigo Health Foundation Ltd ABN 76 683 895 365 of 100 Barnard Street, Bendigo Victoria for the specific charitable purpose of the Foundation. I declare that the receipt of an authorised officer of the Foundation shall be full and sufficient discharge to my Executors"
A personal choice
Your Will is personal, and there is no obligation to tell Bendigo Health Foundation if you have included a gift. You can also change your mind at any time.
If you do choose to let us know, we would be honoured to thank you and help you understand the impact that your gift will have in the future. We know how big a decision it is to include the Bendigo Health Foundation in your Will, and hope to be able to show our gratitude for your gift.
Knowing about your intentions also helps us plan thoughtfully for the future, but we understand that the value or form of any gift may change.
Anything you share will be treated sensitively and confidentially. You can tell us as much or as little as you are comfortable with, and you are welcome to choose how you would like us to stay in touch.
Start a conversation
Whether you have already included a gift in your Will or are simply exploring your options, we are here to support you. Complete the form below and we will respond personally and confidentially.
Personal and confidential
Whether you are considering a gift, have a question about the Foundation’s work or have already included Bendigo Health Foundation in your Will, we would be pleased to hear from you. A conversation is confidential, carries no obligation and can be as simple as requesting information.
Shaun Spence
Executive Officer, Bendigo Health Foundation
Helpful information
A Will allows you to decide how your estate will be distributed, appoint an executor and make your wishes clear. It can provide reassurance for the people you care about and reduce uncertainty at a difficult time.
A gift can extend your care for the local community beyond your lifetime. It may help future patients across Bendigo and the Loddon Mallee access better equipment, services, comfort and support closer to home and loved ones.
Yes. We encourage you to look after the people closest to you first. A gift to the Foundation can be included after you have considered your family, friends and other responsibilities.
No. Gifts in Wills come in many sizes. A modest percentage or a share of what remains after other gifts can make a meaningful contribution when combined with the generosity of others.
Common choices include all or part of the residue of an estate, a percentage of the estate or residue, a specific sum of money, or a clearly identified asset. A solicitor can help you choose the right option.
Many people use a solicitor, and legal advice is particularly important if your circumstances are complex.
Often a Will can be updated or supplemented, but the correct approach depends on your circumstances. Speak with a solicitor before making changes, and never write changes directly onto a signed Will.
You can express an interest in an area of care. We recommend speaking with the Foundation before including a restriction, as services and needs can change. A flexible gift gives the Foundation the best chance to direct support where it will have the greatest future impact.
Ask your solicitor to use the Foundation’s legally approved wording and confirm the correct legal entity details. This reduces the risk of uncertainty and helps ensure your wishes can be carried out.
No. Your decision is private. If you choose to tell us, we can thank you, understand what matters to you and invite you to receive updates in the way you prefer.
Yes. Information about your intentions will be handled sensitively and confidentially, in line with the Foundation’s privacy obligations. You control what you share and how you would like to be contacted.
Yes. Your Will and any gift within it remain yours to change. We understand that personal circumstances and priorities can change over time.