Two other ways in which you can help people with severe learning disabilities are by leaving a legacy to Bag Books or by donating shares to us.

Leaving a legacy

Leaving a legacy to Bag Books invests in the future - not just for the people with severe learning disabilities who benefit from our work now - but for the thousands more we will reach in the coming years.

What is a legacy?

A legacy is a gift left in a will. It can also be called a bequest. If the gift is made to a charity it is often called a charitable bequest. There are three common types of legacy:

• Residuary Legacy - this is the residue of your estate (the remainder of your property, possessions and money) after any taxes, debts or bills have been settled and after your bequests to family, friends and other people have been honoured.
• Pecuniary Legacy -This is a specific amount of money.
• Specific Legacy - This is a specific item of value such as property or jewellery.

Anything to do with your Will is a very personal matter and Bag Books respects your privacy. However, if you decide to remember Bag Books in your Will, it would help us enormously if you could let us know because we would like to thank you properly. When someone leaves a gift in their will it is often too late to even acknowledge their gift and thank them for their kindness and generosity.

Five reasons to make or update your will:

1. Protect your loved ones. Without a will, or with a will that is not up to date, you could leave the fate of your loved ones uncertain. Don't assume your partner, even if you are married, will inherit everything.

2. Prevent legal problems after your death. If your will is out of date, or badly worded, it could be very costly and traumatic for your loved ones to sort out.

3. Care for your children. If you have young children, making a will enables you to decide who will look after them should the worst happen.

4. Help your favourite causes. Once you have taken care of those close to you, you might like to consider a legacy to Bag Books. Ensure you have our correct details as mistakes could mean your gift not going to where you would wish.

5. It's not expensive. Putting your affairs in order using a solicitor is not as expensive as you may think. Many charge a flat fee for making a straightforward will.

Five steps to making your will:

1. Use a solicitor. A will is a legal document, so it's best to seek the advice of a solicitor to make your instructions legally valid.

2. Value your assets. Establish the approximate value of everything you own. You may be surprised how much you have to leave. This could also save you time and money when making your will.

3. Decide whom you wish to benefit. Naturally, you will wish to make provision for those closest to you before leaving a gift to Bag Books. Before visiting your solicitor, note down the names and addresses of everyone you want to include, and what you would like to leave each one.

4. Appoint your executors. It's advisable to appoint at least two people, called executors, who will make sure your wishes are carried out after your death. They could be friends, family members, or a professional such as a solicitor. (A professional will charge you for this service).

5. Keep your will safe. It's very important to keep your will safe, such as with your solicitor, and to tell someone close where it is held. Keep a copy for yourself so that, from time to time, you can check it's up to date.

Donating shares

How to donate large holdings of shares

In most cases, if you give shares to Bag Books, or sell them to us at a price below the market value, you can get relief against your personal income tax bill. This is in addition to exemption from capital gains tax on the gains you might have made on those shares. With the higher rate of income tax and capital gains both at 40%, this can amount to a substantial tax break for donors. For more details, please e-mail: Jason Longbottom

How to donate small holdings of shares

Established in 1996, ShareGift (registered charity number 1052686) is a charity which specialises in accepting smaller numbers of shares of low value, which are not worth selling on their own. ShareGift has now given over £12 million to almost 1,500 different UK registered charities.

ShareGift can accept any number of shares. All you need to do is send your unwanted share certificates to ShareGift. They will re-register and combine shares, sell them and distribute the proceeds to charities such as Bag Books. There is no charge to you or to Bag Books for using ShareGift.

For more information visit http://www.sharegift.org where you can download a Donation Coupon - please remember to tell them that you support Bag Books when making a donation.