Create positive change
and opportunity by
leaving a bequest to
Villa Maria
Your invitation to join Villa Maria’s
FAWKNER FELLOWSHIP
Jasmine
Volunteering with
St Paul’s College
students “puts things into
perspective” for Jasmine
Fowler. “I love the
one-on-one interaction
with the kids. Every day I
see the students achieve.”
A vision for the future
Louisa Fawkner, a blind woman and early colonist of Melbourne, is
recognised as the founder of Villa Maria. It was Louisa who insisted
that the Catholic Braille Writers’ Association be established in 1907,
and so brought together a group of people with a shared desire to
make a difference to people who were vision impaired. That
Association became the Villa Maria Society for the Blind, and the
Villa Maria of today is Louisa Fawkner’s legacy.
The Fawkner Fellowship is a special group established to thank
some of Villa Maria’s most loyal supporters – its bequestors. The
name of this group honours Louisa Fawkner’s important role in
responding to community need and inspiring those around her to
not only make a difference, but to bring about lasting change.
Adam
Adam lives in a Villa Maria
Shared Supported
Accommodation house
and avidly campaigns for
the rights of people with a
disability.“I want to teach
people to speak up,”
he says.
Villa Maria today
As one of Victoria’s oldest and most respected community
organisations, Villa Maria’s vision is ‘creating choices and building
inclusive, sustainable and compassionate communities.’
For over a century, Villa Maria’s services and programs have evolved
from our willingness to continually review, grow and adapt to meet
the changing needs of the individuals and communities we serve.
The Villa Maria of today is one of Victoria’s largest providers of
disability, education and senior services supporting 5,000 older
people and children and adults with a disability, their families and
carers across Victoria and southern New South Wales.
The services we offer range from specialist education and early
childhood intervention for children with disabilities or developmental
delays, to community based and in-home support for older people
and people with a disability, carer respite options, independent
retirement living and residential aged care.
The need to develop and upgrade new and existing facilities, and
to provide programs to meet changing client needs, requires
ongoing funding. The vital funds provided through bequests means
Villa Maria’s goals can be achieved and services can be delivered
with greater certainty and improved on an ongoing basis.
Bobbie
Bobbie, 88, says she
wouldn’t be able to
continue living
independently in her own
home without the support
of her Villa Maria
Community Aged Care
Package.
Your will
A will is something we know we should have but it’s also something
that many people just don’t get around to formalising. Less than
two-thirds of the adult population has a valid will.
Making a will gives you peace of mind and is a way to show you
care about family members, friends and those who have been
important to you. A will also allows you the opportunity to leave
bequests to organisations that you value, such as Villa Maria.
If you die without a valid will, your estate will be entirely or partially
distributed in accordance with legislation, rather than your wishes,
and may be the subject of challenge. A valid will may prevent the
associated delay, anxiety and expense.
When making or amending your will, we strongly encourage you to
consult a qualified, practicing solicitor to ensure your wishes are
expressed in a way that is legally binding. You should carefully
review your will from time to time, particularly if your
circumstances change.
Jane
A nurse at Villa Maria’s
Berwick aged care
residence, Jane describes
nursing as “something
beautiful”, saying her
approach is based on how
she would care for her own
parents.
Making a difference by leaving
a bequest to Villa Maria
Villa Maria actively seeks ways for people to participate in life, share
their passions and interests, develop skills, make connections and
access the services they want and need. We face an ever-growing
need for our services in an increasingly broad geographical area.
While much of Villa Maria’s work is government funded, our
capacity to achieve our goals and build services is only possible
through community support…and your support.
You can greatly assist Villa Maria’s work by considering it in your
estate planning and leaving a bequest to Villa Maria in your will.
A bequest allows you to contribute to Villa Maria’s work in a lasting
way – and possibly in a way that may not be achievable during
your lifetime.
Large or small, every bequest to Villa Maria is valued and
appreciated because it makes a real and positive difference to
people’s lives. Your bequest is an enduring investment that we can
apply to a range of vital programs and initiatives which will make a
difference to current and future generations. Your bequest allows
Villa Maria to sustain and build its capacity to support thousands of
older people, children and adults with a disability, their families
and carers.
Carolyn
A Teacher’s Aid at St Paul’s
College, Carolyn volunteers
in the hydrotherapy
program assisting children
and adults with a disability
to enjoy the weightlessness
and therapeutic benefits of
the water.
How will my bequest be used?
Villa Maria will always follow the wishes or instructions that
accompany any bequest. Unless specific instructions are given,
bequest funds support the overall mission of Villa Maria. Typically,
bequests are directed towards a project or purpose to bring it to
fruition; for example to build a children’s respite house, equip an
aged care facility or implement a program to improve the health
and wellbeing of people with acquired brain injury or dementia.
Wording for a bequest
While a variety of wording can be used, the following is often used
for a general bequest:
“I give to Villa Maria Society (ACN 004 364 103) the sum of $______
OR ______ per cent of my estate OR ______ per cent of the residue of
my estate free of all duties and testamentary expenses to be used
for its general purposes and the receipt of an authorised officer of
Villa Maria Society will be sufficient discharge to my
Executor/Trustee.”
Villa Maria’s Fawkner Fellowship
Once you have decided to leave a bequest to Villa Maria, you will
be invited to become a member of the Fawkner Fellowship.
The Fawkner Fellowship serves the important purpose of enabling
Villa Maria to acknowledge, during their lifetimes, generous
supporters who have left a bequest to Villa Maria in their will. It is
important to Villa Maria to say a heartfelt ‘thank you’ for making
such an important and selfless decision.
The Fawkner Fellowship involves no membership fee, and no
minimum bequest amount. The size of your gift is entirely your
choice and, should you choose to disclose it to us, will be kept
entirely confidential.
We appreciate your will is a private document, but hope if you leave
a gift to Villa Maria in your will, you will also consider advising us so
we can thank and recognise you and invite you to become a
member of the Fawkner Fellowship. Of course, we also acknowledge
and respect you may prefer to make your bequest anonymously.
Benefits of membership of the
Fawkner Fellowship
As a member of the Fawkner Fellowship, you will be part of a
welcoming, social and friendly group who want a great future for
those that Villa Maria assists. You will also have the opportunity to
make new friends and strengthen your relationship with the
Villa Maria community. As a member of the Fawkner Fellowship:
u you will be invited to join us at special complimentary
luncheons provided by Villa Maria where you will have the
opportunity to meet and hear from key Villa Maria staff and other
invited speakers;
u you will have the opportunity to hear first-hand about Villa Maria’s
work and how bequests are making a difference now, and about
some of Villa Maria’s plans for the future;
u you will receive a small gift in acknowledgement and
appreciation of your significant decision; and
u your name will be recorded in a special honour book.
By becoming a member of the Fawkner Fellowship you will also
encourage and inspire others to follow your example and make a
significant investment in improving the lives of future generations of
people requiring Villa Maria’s support.
We appreciate that you may choose not to become a member of
the Fawkner Fellowship or wish to only take advantage of some of
the above benefits. This decision rests entirely with you. Our goal is
to ensure you are kept up to date with our work and the ways in
which your support makes that possible, and importantly, to thank
you for your generosity and shared vision.
Judy and Ted
Living with dementia can
be difficult. Villa Maria’s
carer support services
assisted Judy to continue
caring for her husband Ted
at home, providing her with
vital respite and support.
What our supporters say
My late wife Vera and I have supported Villa Maria and St Paul’s in
various ways over the years. One of our contributions will be a bequest.
I believe a bequest is a wonderful way to assist Villa Maria after we pass
on. Therefore I have no hesitation in recommending to other donors the
suggestion of a bequest in due course.
Gordon James
For over 50 years I have followed Villa Maria’s tremendous expansion and
diversification into the fields of multiple disability and care of the frail
aged, and I felt I would like to help in that work when I am no longer here.
It was a very simple process to have a bequest inserted in my Will and it
gave me great satisfaction to do so. I strongly urge everyone who is in a
position to do so, to do likewise.
Margaret Raw
Thank you
Thank you for taking the time to consider leaving a bequest to Villa
Maria as part of your will.
For more information about leaving a bequest to Villa Maria or to
discuss your intentions, please contact our Donor Relations and
Bequests Officer on (03) 9837 6645. All calls will be treated in
confidence and with sensitivity.
If you would like additional copies of this brochure for family or
friends, please contact our Donor Relations and Bequests Officer.
Disclaimer: This document does not constitute legal, accounting, taxation or other advice.
You should consult professional advisers about the matters raised in this document.