The charity making life better by water
Making life better by water
A gift in your Will helps to ensure that all you love about our canals and rivers lives on for future generations to enjoy.
After taking care of your loved ones, writing a Will offers the opportunity to support the wonderful work of the charities you care most about.
If canals have played a special part in your life and you would like future generations to experience the wonder of our network, consider leaving a gift in your Will to us.
It costs £194 million every year to maintain our canals, so we really need your help.
Our historic canal system is becoming more vulnerable as it ages, but we need to ensure that canals are here for future generations and wildlife. By leaving a gift in your Will, you can help us protect and transform our beloved canals, and continue to make life better by water.
If you'd like to request a physical copy of our gifts in Wills impact report, email Natasha at [email protected].
Please let us know, so that we can thank you for your generosity and show you the impact you are making to our waterways, and the people who share your love of them.
We would also love to invite you to one of our free, special events where you can meet the staff and volunteers that care for our canals and rivers, and get an exclusive behind the scenes look at our work.
Recent events have included:
Diglis Island and Fish Pass: A special look at the fascinating fish pass designed and built to help save the fish populations in the River Severn at Worcester, our guests had a memorable day with a tours and talks of this marvel.
Anderton Boat Lift: A feat of engineering, the Anderton Boat Lift is a sight to behold. Our guests enjoyed exclusive talks and a boat trip to show off the lift to its full capabilities.
Roundhouse Birmingham: A fascinating piece of architecture, the horseshoe-shaped building has an interesting past that our guests were walked through, guided by our heritage advisors.
Take a sneak peak at what you can expect at a gifts in Wills discovery event below.
For more information contact Natasha, our gifts in Wills executive, at [email protected] or on 07918 889822.
Making a Will is great for your peace of mind. It's the only way to make sure you know exactly what happens to your property, money and personal possessions.
Although there's no law that says you must make a Will, it makes all the legalities much easier for those you leave behind. Dying without having an up-to-date Will means it is up to the law to decide how your estate is distributed, which might not reflect your wishes.
A gift to charity is taken out of your estate before it's decided how much inheritance tax must be paid. Over and above supporting a cause that's important to you, some people choose to leave a gift to charity as a way to reduce how much tax is owed.
Contact HMRC or a solicitor for advice about the current Inheritance Tax thresholds and payment rates.
You don't need to be wealthy to leave a gift to charity in your Will. Each and every gift makes a difference. No matter the size or amount, your gift can transform canal spaces and enrich lives by water.
If you would like to find out more about leaving a gift in your Will to Canal & River Trust, you can request our free gifts in Wills information pack online, or request a copy in the post.
You may also like to join us at a gifts in Wills enquiry event to see first-hand the impact your gift could make. For full details of events taking place near you, please contact us.
Unrestricted gifts are incredibly important as it gives us the flexibility to direct funds where the need is greatest at the time. Not all of our future needs can be envisaged today, as priorities and work may change.
However, many of our supporters wish to support a specific area of the waterways and you are of course very welcome to specify that your gift be for use at a particular site or region. If you are considering doing this, please contact us so we can best advise on ensuring your wishes can be fulfilled.
In order to leave the Canal & River Trust a gift in your Will, your solicitor will need to include the following information:
Name: Canal & River Trust Registered charity number: 1146792 Address: National Waterways Museum Ellesmere Port, South Pier Road, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, CH65 4FW
Please email [email protected] if you have any further questions, and we'll get back to you.
Last Edited: 10 June 2025
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