Here for Veterans, today and tomorrow. How a gift to Stoll in your Will could change lives

Transcription

1 Here for Veterans, today and tomorrow How a gift to Stoll in your Will could change lives 1

2 The Stoll story Stoll was founded by the theatre impresario Sir Oswald Stoll in 1916 to provide housing and rehabilitation to wounded soldiers returning from the Great War. Many of these men were wounded both physically and mentally. Sir Oswald recognised they stood little chance of overcoming their wounds without a stable home and nursing and psychiatric care, enabling them to live independently once again. Funded by the sale of War Seals, with the support of philanthropists such as George Selfridge and Jesse Boot and his own wealth, Sir Oswald established the War Seal Foundation. The first 142 homes, known as the The War Seal Mansions, opened in 1917 on the Fulham Road, where they still stand today. Complete with gym and nursing stations, the War Seal Mansions provided everything a wounded soldier needed to reintegrate back into civilian life. Why we need your help Today, Stoll has evolved alongside the changing needs of Veterans. Stoll s aim is to ensure that vulnerable Veterans who fall through the cracks in our society, unable to make a successful transition to civilian life, can live independently. All too often, those leaving the Armed Forces experience poor mental and physical health, homelessness, poverty and addiction. For many younger Veterans in this situation, Stoll acts as a stepping stone, providing a stable home and tailored support. This helps them find the confidence to enter the workplace, or learn new skills. For older, frail or disabled Veterans, Stoll provides practical support so that they are safe, and can take part in a wide range of stimulating, social activities and leading the independent, fulfilling life they so deserve. Over the last century, Stoll has supported many thousands of Veterans living in our communities and beyond. Stoll s Veterans Nomination Scheme works with local partners to match homeless Veterans with affordable homes nationwide. Stoll s Outreach team seeks out destitute Veterans, living rough or in B&B s and hostels, to ensure that their needs are met. We are also building new homes to support Veterans who will need us in the coming years. Times may have changed but, for the men and women who join the Armed Forces today, the impact of combat can still be devastating. The effect may be felt many years after their service and today s conflicts are over. This is why Stoll is needed as much today as it was in By leaving a gift in your Will to Stoll today, you can help us plan for Veterans who will need us tomorrow. 2 3

3 Meet Nigel Nigel came to Stoll in 2010 after spending an extraordinary period of 30 years on the road. Nigel joined the Navy aged just 15 and experienced six challenging years of service, including crewing on tracking submarines HMS Opportune and HMS Onslaught. When Nigel came out of service aged 22, he found life even tougher than it had been in service and suffered a nervous breakdown. His subsequent depression saw him become homeless, ending up in Paris and then Rome, where he lived until the onset of Parkinsons in When his health worsened, Nigel returned to London and found temporary hostel accommodation, before being offered a home at Stoll. Nigel says, it is important to have a quality of life at a time when it is most needed. He describes the moment he moved in to his flat as feeling that he was in full sunlight. Now he is settled at Stoll, our Domestic Support staff ensure that he can live independently, with a local GP s surgery on site to provide his continuing medical care. it is important to have a quality of life at a time when it is most needed Meet Del During 12 happy years in the Army, Del served in Northern Ireland, Yemen and other conflict zones around the world. Army life gave Del a purpose but its certainties and routines meant that he found it hard to adjust to life as a civilian. Trouble quickly escalated at home and he became homeless, living rough in Epping Forest and in poor mental and physical health. He even tried to take his own life. I was terrified of the loneliness. It was the hardest thing I was going to end it and I got a call. Stoll provided Del with a home, where he lives comfortably and his needs are met by a dedicated support officer. He says. I look at it like I m the guardian of this place, for someone else, I m keeping this home well for the next person hopefully they ll do the same I want them to have the same sort of feeling that I had - you re not going anywhere, you re home. I look at it like I m the guardian of this place 4 5

4 Meet Steven An aircraft technician in the Royal Navy for 15 years, Steven served in the Gulf War, Bosnia and Yemen. Although shaken by what he had seen in the Gulf War, he was determined to live a normal life on his return to Civvy Street; he soon married and had a daughter. However, Steven suffers from combat related PTSD. In Bosnia, he was a moment away from death, helpless as a sniper s laser sight focused on his chest. He managed to find cover, but has recurring flashbacks of that red dot on his chest. Steven s marriage broke down. Then, following an injury, he was discharged. The transitional process from the Navy was brief and did not consider the potential for any mental health issues from his service. A very successful period in his life followed, working as an aircraft engineer. However, six years ago, Steven was badly injured in a car crash and was unable to work for three months. He became depressed and suffered frequently from flashbacks and nightmares. Unable to work, he got into rent arrears and found himself homeless: One of the hardest things for any military person is asking for help, you are trained to be independent, he said. Steven discovered Stoll through our monthly Drop In at Stoll Mansions, where representatives from 20 or so other Veterans organisations provide advice. Through Stoll s Veterans Nomination Scheme, Steven found a permanent home in the community and everything fell into place. Today, he is to be found front of house, running The Veterans Kitchen, providing nutritious and tasty meals, served with a smile, on our Stoll Mansions site, with the help of the head chef and Veteran Iain, a Stoll resident. Steven said of working with Iain, We One of the hardest things for any military person is asking for help, you are trained to be independent understand each other s issues - we give each other the leeway we need sometimes. Your will can make an amazing difference to other Veterans like Steven, who with practical help to find a stable home and tailored support to address their health issues, are able to get though the bad days and start living again. 6 7

5 Making a Will the special gift that means so much Jim has made a pledge to support Stoll s Veterans, and says: As an ex-serviceman the work of Stoll deals with a subject close to my heart. A legacy was remarkably easy to organise, it took no time at all and I m so glad I did it. Drawing up a Will or amending an existing one is straightforward, but for peace of mind, we advise you to always use a solicitor, as they will make sure that your wishes are met in full. It is also important to note that Laws are different in Scotland. A legacy was remarkably easy to organise, it took no time at all and I m so glad I did it In order to make the most of your solicitor s time, it is a good idea to prepare in advance, and draw up a list of your assets and liabilities. To find a solicitor in your area, visit or call If you have already made your Will and you simply need to amend it to include Stoll, any changes should be made by your solicitor, to avoid any accidental invalidation of your Will. We are more than happy to help you with any queries you have about the process of making a Will, please just call us on and ask for our Legacy Manager. There are three main types of gifts you can make in your Will: 1 A Residuary Legacy: 2 A Pecuniary Legacy: a share, or percentage of your estate, after those you love have been remembered first and all expenses, such as inheritance tax, or any outstanding debts have been met. a specific amount of money. However, because it is fixed, the value may fall over time. 3 A Specific Legacy: a physical item, such as a property, jewellery or shares. Sample wording you may wish to take to your solicitor: I give free of inheritance tax to The Sir Oswald Stoll Foundation, whose registered office is 446 Fulham Road, London SW6 1DT, Registered Charity No , my (percentage of residue of your estate/a specific sum/name and description of item) for general charitable purposes and I declare that the receipt of The Treasurer or other authorised official for the time being shall be a good discharge to my Executors. 8 9

6 More help we can offer We have a number of information sheets that will help you in preparing to see a solicitor. Please use the enclosed Pledge form to request them and to also let us know your intentions, which will be held in the strictest confidence. Please send this back using the SAE provided, or kindly send to the address below. Please do call or us for any further information or a confidential chat. Our Legacy Manager would be delighted to assist you. Telephone legacies@stoll.org.uk Write to Legacy Manager Stoll 446 Fulham Road London SW6 1DT Thank you so much for remembering Stoll

7 Your legacy to Stoll will make sure that we are still here tomorrow, serving the brave men and women who are protecting our freedoms today. Please remember them. 446 Fulham Road London SW6 1DT T E legacies@stoll.org.uk 12 The Sir Oswald Stoll Foundation Charity No HCA No. A3418 Company No