A lasting legacy to NRAS

12 October 2026

As we celebrate our 25th anniversary, it’s an opportunity to recognise the many lasting gifts we’ve received from our members, friends and supporters.

Sara was a popular member of the Chesterfield NRAS group who left happy memories with her friends, and a legacy that will live on. After a successful career with Rolls Royce Aerospace, she had only been retired for a few months when COVID-19 sent us all into lockdown. By then she was starting to have symptoms of what turned out to be RA, and shortly after her diagnosis, she joined the Chesterfield group in November 2020.

Sara appreciated the support she received from NRAS – in particular socialising with people who understood the challenges of taking immunosuppressive medication during the height of the pandemic. She soon became a regular at online meetings and group walks in the open air, finding great support in sharing experiences with others in the same situation. Many fellow group members remember Sara fondly as ‘good humoured and straightforward’ and ‘a true friend to many of us’. When Sara sadly passed away from an unrelated illness in 2023, she chose to leave a generous gift in her Will to NRAS in recognition of the support she’d received.

Sara’s friend and executor David recalls: ‘Sara used her Will to specify that 30% of her estate — above the threshold for the reduced Inheritance Tax rate — be given to charity*, and then in a separate Letter of Wishes she detailed how that should be shared between her favourite charities. The share allocated to NRAS was the largest, in recognition of Sara’s gratitude and to ensure that other people can benefit from the support that NRAS provides.’

A Letter of Wishes is a non-binding private document which accompanies a Will and can help executors understand your intentions. It doesn’t replace a Will, but it proved a good option for Sara when she became seriously ill, as she was able to discuss her wishes with an executor who was also a trusted friend. The important thing, as David remembers, is that: ‘Sara was able to arrange her affairs in the way that was right for her’.

Making sure your wishes are respected

An up-to-date Will is essential to ensure your wishes are respected, and the people who are most important to you are properly looked after. It’s also a good idea to review your Will every few years – for example after key milestones like marriage, divorce or the birth of a child, or to ensure that you’ve taken into account the forthcoming updates to inheritance tax rules around pensions. It’s something that many of us put off – estimates suggest that around half of UK adults don’t have a Will in place.

That’s why NRAS has joined forces with expert Will writers, Octopus Legacy, offering you the opportunity to write or update your simple Will for free this autumn.  There’s no obligation to include NRAS in your Will as part of this offer. But after you’ve taken care of your loved ones, even a small gift to NRAS will ensure that people with RA and JIA get the support, advice and information they need – now and in the future. **

Gifts in Wills – a firm foundation

Gifts like Sara’s have given NRAS a solid foundation. From humble beginnings as a group of volunteers, answering the phone and sending out letters around a dining table, we’ve grown to become a respected national charity, providing support and information to thousands of people every year. This has been made possible by the generosity of those who remember us with a gift in their Will. 

NRAS founder and National Patient Champion Ailsa Bosworth says: ‘I remember we were so excited and grateful when we received our very first legacy in around 2008. We hadn’t received such a large sum before and it helped us grow at a critical time.’

Gifts in Wills continue to be important today, helping to fund many of our services. Around five in 10 calls to our Helpline are possible thanks to generous people like Sara, who have chosen to remember us in this way. Ailsa says:

‘I shall be leaving a gift in my Will to NRAS, and my family all understand the importance of this and are supportive. I think one of the best things you can do is to leave a gift to a charity that is close to your heart.’

If you’d like to find out more about how to make a lasting gift to NRAS, call Kirsty or Emma on 01628 823524 (option 2 for fundraising) or read more here:

With thanks to David Brooke and all Sara’s friends at the Chesterfield group for their contributions to this article.

* You may qualify to pay Inheritance Tax at a reduced rate of 36% if you leave at least 10% of your net estate to charity – more information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/inheritance-tax-reduced-rate-calculator

** While many supporters have chosen to include a gift to NRAS in their Will to NRAS, there is no obligation to do so when using the Octopus Legacy service. If you prefer to choose your own solicitor, the Law Society website has an online directory at lawsociety.org.uk