Leave a gift in your Will

“When I was a head teacher at a Westminster State Primary School, my Educational Psychologist put me in touch with Coram. The school received very practical help for some of the pupils, and I have stayed in touch with Coram ever since.  

“There were children attending the school who had waited a long time for adoption. I can still recall the name and face of one little boy when he heard a placement had been found for him. He had been finding concentration very hard, and he was making no progress at all with reading or writing. Another older girl was often so overcome by her troubled life that she had gained nothing at the school. She learned to shelter in the office rather than break down or create a scene. All children like them need a stable and loving home to gain the confidence necessary for successful learning. 

“Coram has one of the best records for successful adoption in the country. This work is painstaking and expensive. It takes many years for a child to be settled successfully, and Coram supports the families as well as the children.

“Last year I had the opportunity to meet three elderly Coram ‘children’ – former Foundling Hospital pupils. They were impressive people, who had thrived with interesting careers, but who had fascinating memories of the discipline that they had experienced while children in Coram’s care. They felt it had given them stability that had stood them in good stead. They now return ‘home’ as much respected adults for Coram’s social events, and they follow the new Coram ventures with interest.

“The spirit of the wonderful Captain Coram is carried on by the present organisation. I urge readers to organise a donation in their wills, as I have done, so that the comfort and care of children and families can be continued, in the memory of this determined hard working man.”

“As I grow older I am acutely aware of current pressures on families. The world in which my grandchildren are growing up is very different and it is easy to feel rejection, alienation and purposelessness. I believe passionately in children and the importance of their childhoods.

“As a retired counsellor, I’m aware of the possible outcomes of insecure and inconsistent attachments in the early years, and the subsequent impact this can have on their self-esteem and self-worth. I believe passionately in children and the importance of their childhoods

“Many of the children supported by Coram will have suffered emotional and physical abuse or neglect, or have witnessed violence and trauma in their early years. And at a time when more and more children need to be taken into care, Coram is committed to changing lives and rescuing childhoods. By seeking permanent homes for them, this organisation is about giving better chances for children.

“Offering vital post-adoption support for adoptive parents makes a colossal difference at a stressful and bewildering stage; with two godchildren who have had recent experiences of adoption, I know what a hard and rocky journey it is without good supportive follow-up. For young vulnerable care leavers, with no family to turn to, facing a hostile dangerous world without the on-going support from Coram feels unthinkable.

“So I’d encourage you to consider placing a gift in Coram’s safe hands. Every legacy, however small, can make a difference and is money well spent towards vulnerable youngsters finding love, acceptance, value and their rightful place in the world. What better investment could there be in the emotional health of future generations and society?”

“I first came across Coram through a trip to the Foundling Museum in Brunswick Square, and was touched by the story of care for the abandoned and orphaned children of 18th century London. It was an inspiring tale, not least in the dedication of the founder, Thomas Coram to bring the first children’s charity into existence.

“In later years, I worked in the delivery of services to children and young people. Through this, I got to know at first hand the desperately sad circumstances and awful challenges many young people face – when their start in life has been blighted by neglect, abuse, chaos and trauma. Coram, through its invaluable work with adoption and support, offers a lifeline to these young people and a chance to experience the love and care that most can take for granted. Giving through your Will is easy – and I am proud that my legacy will help continue this wonderful work.”

“I have remembered Coram in my Will because of the hard work and support they gave to my father, which they continue to give to thousands of children today. It wasn’t until after his death that I discovered my father had been a pupil of the Foundling Hospital from the age of four months old – I had never even heard of Coram and the Foundling Hospital before. Now that I know their history and how vital they are for vulnerable children, I am proud to leave Coram a legacy.”