Would you consider making a gift to VSO in your will?

There are some donations that are given out of pity because things are so bad, and some out of hope because things can get better. VSO is about the latter. VSO volunteers want to see progress for others, and are prepared to do something about it. Similarly, a legacy to VSO is about the positive not the negative. It supports long-term change through person to person action and believes the world can go on being a better place. And it is going to be a long haul. Sure, the job that I did as a volunteer all those years ago is now filled by a Malawian, and that's a healthy sign that we are part of the right journey. But the needs are immense, and VSO, which marks 50 years of life in 2008, will need to reach a century for sure.

Which brings me to your will. For a start, if you haven't already, you ought to make one to ensure the future of those you care for. And while you're at it, why not make it count? Will it make you less uneasy if I tell you about mine? Both my wife and I have put legacies to VSO in our wills. Of course the children come first, but when the time comes we hope they will value not only how we felt about them, but also about other good causes that would take forward what we believe in.

In truth, even the wealthy leave precious few footmarks in the sand. Yet a legacy is a rare opportunity to leave a signpost of what we have learned in our time to be important.