Save the Children has many wonderful supporters who recognise the powerful impact of leaving a bequest. We’d like to introduce you to some of them.
A pledge for children - The Brown Family
You might not expect a 17-year-old student with a part-time job to commit to a charity. But that’s exactly what Lizzy Brown did back when she was a teenager. She believes in helping those less fortunate than herself, especially children living in poverty and hardship, so Save the Children seemed a perfect fit.
Lizzy is now a mother of two small daughters and continues to support children in need. She and husband Darren are regular monthly donors and they have also included Save the Children in their wills. To them, leaving a bequest is a meaningful way to continue their support for future generations of children – it is their lasting legacy.
A family affair - Dame Elizabeth and John Harper
Supporting Save the Children has been a family affair for Elizabeth and John Harper. Elizabeth’s aunt, Naomi Rickard, volunteered for the Mid Canterbury branch for more than 20 years and was presented with a Distinguished Service Award. She was generous to the end and she included a gift in her will, which supported a project in Papua New Guinea.
Elizabeth “has always looked after children”. Growing up it was her five younger brothers and later it was her own children. Volunteering for Save the Children was a natural extension of her love and her desire to support children. Aunt Naomi first enlisted Elizabeth and John’s help in 1969 to collect for the annual appeal, and over the years they’ve organised many appeals themselves.
This dedicated couple has often led the way for Save the Children, both locally and nationally. Their efforts have been widely recognised, including a DBE for Elizabeth in 1995, after four years as National President. After a lifetime of voluntary service, they are continuing their support with gifts in their wills. Elizabeth says, “We just want to carry on helping children.”
**We note with great sadness the passing of Dame Elizabeth Harper on 18 December 2017. She gave a lifetime of service to Save the Children and will be greatly missed.**
One woman's inspiring legacy - Greta Fraser
Greta Fraser of Geraldine, left a generous bequest after many years of commitment to Save the Children. Greta grew up in Timaru and in 1953 she left New Zealand to study in the United States and Canada. Unusually for a woman of her era, she forged an international career as a lecturer in nursing and worked in the US and Costa Rica.
She eventually returned to Geraldine, where she built her own version of a log cabin, inspired by her time in the US. Greta was interested in astronomy, bird watching, wood carving and her dogs. She also cared deeply about the plight of children and left a bequest as a way to continue making a positive difference after her own lifetime.
