How Nicole is creating a legacy of hope

Bequests (ie. leaving a gift in your Will) represent a lasting legacy and provide significant future support to organisations, such as Berry Street, that address critical social issues.

All forms of giving – from one-off donations, regular monthly gifts to substantial bequests – are essential to ensuring the long-term sustainability of our programs that support children who've experienced violence, abuse and neglect. Every gift and act of support, regardless of size or form, represents a commitment to creating a safer and more supportive community for all children and families.

Financial services leader Nicole Spratt, a long-time supporter of Berry Street, has committed to leaving a legacy through a gift in her Will.

Q—Nicole, what does leaving a gift in your Will mean to you?

Being able to leave some of my estate to an organisation that I have supported over many, many years is important to me. Some time ago, I did a significant overhaul of my will, which resulted in me deciding to distribute one last gift to 10 charities including Berry Street. It means that in a small way, I am still contributing to the communities that are (or were) important to me.

Q—Why does Berry Street resonate with you?

I never had children of my own, believing that there were plenty of children in this world to help if I chose to. I started to contribute to Berry Street through the workplace when I organised a Christmas hamper to be donated from my work colleagues. I was blown away with their generosity – we had a whole car full of items. We did this for a few years as a group and from there I started to look deeper into the community that Berry Street assists. I recall going to an annual general meeting and was simply in awe of this young person standing up in front of quite a crowd explaining how the work of Berry Street had impacted them. The impact lifted me into a place where I believed it is possible to survive the bad and build the good.

Q—How did you find the process of leaving a gift in your Will to Berry Street?

I recall sending in my authority to debit my account (very paper and manual back in the day) for an end of financial year donation, and I simply ticked the box to indicate that I was interested in bequeathing through my Will. A member of the Berry Street team contacted me and came to visit, and we had a chat. It was left to me to take the next step, which resulted in several organisations being listed in my Will, and over the years that list has been refined and I have a real purpose about the organisations that I have chosen to include.

Q—What interests you most about Berry Street?

My original interest was foster care and the work the organisation does in assisting families in crisis situations, including helping those people suffering through domestic violence situations. However, during lock down, I recall being invited to a webinar that was really interesting about the education services and in particular the educational model Berry Street uses to engage children in formal education.

Q—What would you like to pass on to our future generation of children?

I simply would like the younger generation to have the best opportunity to reach their potential. Life is a series of trials and errors, and mistakes and missteps are okay – learn from them and move forward. The young will eventually not be so young and it’s at this stage I encourage them to not only keep going but to reach for the stars by staying in a learning zone. Finally, always act with kindness and consideration.

Learn more about leaving a gift in your Will

How you can help create a safe and supportive community for all children