Leaving a Lasting Legacy

A Gift in Your Will to Lauriston Girls' School

For generations, Lauriston Girls’ School has been shaped by a community that believes deeply in the transformative power of education.

By leaving a Gift in your Will, you can help ensure that future generations of girls benefit from the same opportunities, experiences and sense of community that define a Lauriston education.

A Bequest is a meaningful way to support the School’s future while continuing to care for your loved ones today. Because the gift is made from your estate, it does not affect your financial security during your lifetime.

Your legacy can help Lauriston continue to inspire, educate and empower young women for generations to come.

We’re excited to share Lauriston’s 2025 Gift in Wills podcast featuring Dr. Mark Roberts, Foundation Board Director, in conversation with Gemma Acton (OL, 1998). Released as part of our inaugural Gift in Wills week in 2025, this first episode, ‘Intent to Impact: Bequesting and Philanthropy Explored,’ delves into the world of giving. Gemma and Mark discuss the role of Bequesting at Lauriston, the convenience of Online Wills, and the powerful connection between female financial independence and philanthropy in girls’ schools. Tune in for a thought-provoking conversation about empowering future generations through generosity!

A big thank you to Gemma Acton (OL, 1998) and Dr. Mark Roberts for generously sharing their time and insights in this inaugural episode. Their thoughtful conversation and expertise on philanthropy, Bequesting, and empowering future generations are truly inspiring. We are grateful for their support in making this podcast a success and for their ongoing commitment to Lauriston’s mission.

Why People Leave a Bequest

Members of the Lauriston community choose to leave a gift in their Will for many reasons.

Often it is because they:

• Want to give back to a school that shaped their life or their child’s life
• Believe strongly in the value of girls’ education
• Want to help provide scholarship opportunities for future students
• Wish to create a lasting legacy that will benefit the School long into the future

Whatever your reason, a Bequest is a powerful way to support Lauriston and help the School continue to thrive.

How Your Bequest Makes a Difference

Many gifts left to Lauriston are invested in Endowment Funds, which provide long-term financial sustainability for the School.

How Endowment Funds work:

• Your gift is invested as part of Lauriston’s endowment
• The principal (original gift) is preserved
• Investment earnings are distributed each year to support the School

This structure allows your generosity to provide ongoing support in perpetuity, helping Lauriston remain strong, innovative and forward-looking.

Depending on the specific terms of your Will, your gift will be invested to provide long-term capital growth and a stable annual income stream, with funds applied strictly in accordance with your wishes.

Funding Priorities

You may choose to direct your Bequest to a specific area of Lauriston or allow the School to apply the gift where it is needed most.

Scholarship Fund

A Bequest to the Lauriston Girls’ School Scholarship Fund enables talented students from diverse backgrounds to experience a Lauriston education and achieve their full potential.

The Scholarship Fund is an endowment fund designed to provide long-term capital growth and a stable annual income stream in perpetuity. The principal and earnings are applied solely in accordance with the specific terms of your Will.

Building Fund

Lauriston’s buildings and facilities play a vital role in delivering a world-class education. Gifts to the Building Fund help maintain and enhance these learning environments for future generations of students.

Library Fund

Lauriston’s libraries are vibrant centres for learning, research and collaboration. Purpose-built and thoughtfully designed, they foster curiosity, discovery and intellectual engagement across all year levels.

Education Fund

Bequests made to the Education Fund are invested in perpetuity to support Lauriston Girls’ School. The principal of this endowment fund is preserved, while investment earnings are distributed annually to support the School. Please note that donations to this fund are not tax deductible.

Lauriston Foundation

You may also choose to leave a gift to the Lauriston Foundation for general purposes, allowing the School to direct funds to areas of greatest need and invest in initiatives that will have the greatest impact.

Ways to Leave a Gift

There are several ways you can include Lauriston in your Will:

A specific gift
A nominated amount of money or particular asset.

A percentage of your estate
A portion of the value of your estate.

A gift of property, shares or other assets
What remains of your estate after other gifts have been distributed.

A residual gift
What remains of your estate after other gifts have been distributed.

A gift, property, shares or other assets
Every gift, large or small, plays a meaningful role in supporting the future of Lauriston.

Suggested Wording for Your Will

If you wish to include Lauriston Girls’ School in your Will, you may wish to share the following wording with your solicitor:

"I give and bequeath to Lauriston Girls’ School (ABN 93 250 982 468) the sum of $____ / ____% of my estate / the residue of my estate for the benefit of Lauriston Girls’ School, to be applied for its general purposes or for such specific purpose as agreed with the School."

We recommend discussing your wishes with your solicitor or financial advisor when preparing or updating your Will.

Downloadable Will Wording

The Elizabeth Kirkhope Circle

Once you have made the decision to include a Bequest to Lauriston Girls’ School in your Will, you are warmly invited to become a member of The Elizabeth Kirkhope Circle. Established in 2011, the Circle honours those who have chosen to support Lauriston’s future through a gift in their Will and celebrates the enduring legacy of Miss Elizabeth Kirkhope, a passionate advocate for the advancement and ongoing growth of girls’ education.

Membership of The Elizabeth Kirkhope Circle is both a mark of recognition and a gesture of gratitude. It acknowledges the quiet foresight and generosity of those who choose to invest in generations of Lauriston girls yet to come. We understand that every supporter’s wishes are different, and recognition can be offered in a way that feels right for you. Members may choose to be acknowledged publicly, privately, or to remain completely anonymous. Whatever your preference, your intentions will always be respected with care and discretion.

The current Chair of The Elizabeth Kirkhope Circle is Alix Bradfield, a past Lauriston parent and long-standing member of the school community for nearly 50 years. Alix served on the School Council for twelve years, including six as Chair, during a period of significant growth and change for Lauriston, notably the opening of the Howqua Campus in 1993. Her connection to the School spans generations: her daughter Sabina graduated in 1988, and her two granddaughters are also past students (Peer Years 2018 and 2020).

Members of The Elizabeth Kirkhope Circle share a unique and meaningful bond. They are united by a belief in education, opportunity, and the enduring impact of thoughtful philanthropy. Whether recognised publicly or choosing to give anonymously, Circle members play a vital role in ensuring Lauriston continues to thrive as one of Australia’s leading schools for girls and young women, now and well into the future.

“A bequest, even a modest one, can make a difference to the lives of girls in years to come. The precious gift of a Lauriston education, including the Howqua experience, will provide confidence and skills to women who will make significant contributions to our future society.
That gives me a happy feeling of making a difference myself!”

Alix Bradfield

Writing or Updating Your Will

Lauriston has partnered with EveryWill, an online platform that allows members of the Lauriston community to create a free online Will in as little as 10 minutes, with unlimited updates.

There is no obligation to include Lauriston, but the service provides a simple way to consider leaving a legacy gift if you choose.

EveryWill website Lauriston

Discussing Your Bequest

If you are considering leaving a gift to Lauriston, or would like to learn more about the impact of Bequests, we would welcome a confidential conversation.

Abby Finn
Bequests Associate
Lauriston Girls’ School

finnab@lauriston.vic.edu.au
0401 378 804

Your generosity can help ensure Lauriston continues to empower and educate young women for generations to come.