Wills - what worthy charity would you choose?

[LoveRules]

We are getting married and therefore redrafting our wills. We both have children from previous relationships so a little bit complex which we have worked through.

Our will writer has advised that in a worst case improbable scenario it is best to write in who our estates might go to if everyone pre-deceases the owner of the will to avoid being intestate.

I'd like to leave my share to an impoverished but life long friend plus a worthy charity but don't know who to choose. Maybe smile train or a mental health charity but would be interested in who others might choose.

I've chosen the local children's hospice and the local special school. Both smaller charities that could really make a difference with the money.

Local animal rescues (most are currently struggling a lot) or wildlife rescues.
Local hospice.
DEBRA (children with butterfly disease)
Support dogs.

Local hospice as they do.astoundinh work and need funds

I’ve chosen Great Ormond Street, I wouldn’t be here without them.

The danger with a small local charity OP is that they might have gone bust by the time you pass. A big one however can be very commercial and receives plenty of donations already.
I'd go for something local that's likely to stay, like a hospice or something.

We're leaving ours to the small charity we got our rescue girl from but if they go bust, it's just going to the local hospice

This is what puts me off leaving to charity in my will, I have heard charities can be awful to berieved families. I wouldn't want to make things difficult for my family so it's all going to my DCs.

trussell trust for food banks and helping with poverty

Probably this.

If I had ££ to leave to charity it would be Women’s Aid, and some to the Mountain Rescue Team for the area I have most walked, and an arts organisation providing participation for young people.

I'm not saying - don't leave money to charity - I'm saying if you want to leave money to charity to leave a fixed sum not a percentage of the estate.

I've got type 1 diabetes and my daughter has MS. So split between those, though Shelter would also get something.

There are risks involved with leaving a fixed sum as well though, depending on the wording of the will. If the bulk of the estate gets used up on care fees etc, then the charity take their fixed sum, they may be nothing left for any other beneficiaries.

I've heard some horror stories about the behaviour of charities when they've been left money so I'd be very way about doing this.