Gifts in wills have allowed DSWF to safeguard remaining strongholds of iconic species from extinction, support wildlife rangers – the frontline heroes of conservation, and empower communities to live alongside wildlife.
Together, we can continue this work for generations to come. And we can only do it with the help of our dedicated supporters.
“My paintings have helped me repay the enormous debt of gratitude I owe to wildlife – I like to call them my living legacy because, unlike me, my paintings will live on. By leaving a gift in your will, you can help us fight to save species struggling against extinction.”
David Shepherd CBE , Founder of DSWF
The purpose of David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) is to save critically endangered species in their wild habitat.
The insatiable demand of Far Eastern markets for pangolin scales, ivory, rhino horn and tiger parts fuels an illegal wildlife trade that is spiralling out of control. Only through the dedication and commitment of the brave men and women rangers who risk their lives on the frontline of wildlife conservation, can we stop this vicious cycle of killing.
DSWF is striving to reverse the dramatic decline in wildlife, with almost 70% of animals lost in the past 50 years. Working with local people and communities that live alongside wildlife, we support projects that help protect and save endangered species in their wild habitat – where they belong. We have established and continue to support an elephant orphanage project and park protection programme in Zambia. In Namibia, we have supported frontline conservation partners with zero poaching of black rhinos in more than 2 years, while the rest of the continent is in the midst of a poaching epidemic. We provided emergency funding that saved the Amur (Siberian) tigers from extinction in the far east, and we are working hard to stop demand of tiger, pangolin and other endangered species from entering the trade through investigations and public engagement. Most importantly, we provide vital frontline support to forest and wildlife rangers working to save some of the last viable populations of endangered species, such as lions, painted dogs, and snow leopards in Africa and Asia.
None of this vitally important work could be done without the lasting support of our members and friends.
“We share this fragile world with all creatures. Don’t leave their survival to chance. Making a Will is one of the ways we ensure the world is a better place for those we care about. Please leave a lasting legacy to future generations.”
Dame Judi Dench, DSWF Legacy Ambassador
We have suggested wording below depending on what kind of gift you’d like to give.
‘I give to David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) of Saba House, 7 Kings Road, Shalford, Guildford, Surrey GU4 8JU, registered charity number 1106893 [all / _% of the residue] of my estate for its general charitable purposes and I declare that the receipt of the Chief Financial Officer at DSWF for the time being shall be a sufficient discharge to my executor(s).’
‘I give to David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) of Saba House, 7 Kings Road, Shalford, Guildford, Surrey GU4 8JU, registered charity number 1106893 the sum of [specify words and figures] free of tax for its general charitable purposes and I declare that the receipt of the Chief Financial Officer at DSWF for the time being shall be a sufficient discharge to my executor(s).’
If you already have a Will and would like to change it, you can use a codicil which is a separate instruction that is then kept with your Will. However, it is also just as easy for your solicitor to adapt your existing Will. You can download our handy codicil template here.
Yes! All you have to do is phone your adviser and it can happen in minutes.
If you do not have a solicitor, please contact our Director of Finance, Mary Nugent at dswf@davidshepherd.org or on 01483 272323 for a list of solicitors local to you who regularly draft Wills – we are not allowed to recommend a particular solicitor.
If you have left DSWF a gift in your will, please let us know! We would love to thank you properly and tell you how your gift will be spent to protect endangered species.
We understand that this is a private gift and that your circumstances might change in the future.
To reassure you that we value the private method of this way of supporting our work, we have developed the following promises:
This information is guidance, not legal advice. Always contact a solicitor or legal professional before including a trust in your Will.
If you’d like to know more about leaving a gift in your Will, please contact us.
DSWF believes in the conservation of all wildlife and wild spaces and does not condone the consumptive use of wildlife and natural resources for the benefit of human greed and curiosity. DSWF’s conservation portfolio primarily focusses on eight core species of endangered and threatened mammals across Africa and Asia. Find out more about these species here.
All DSWF funded projects provide vital support to communities who live alongside wildlife. It is crucial that they have a stake in protecting wildlife and benefit from it. Our projects provide education programs, community benefits and jobs, help improve gender equality, and restore eco-systems, all of which make life better for the people living in the communities we work in. Find out more.
DSWF works tirelessly to fund ground-based conservation partners across Africa and Asia who work to protect endangered species. Through dedication and hard work, we have influenced policy, shifted attitudes and provided an unwavering voice for wildlife conservation from grassroots to the world stage since 1984.
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All donations will help us continue our vital work conservation work to protect endangered species and turn the tide on extinction.
