Dame Judi backs plea for legacies to cancer charity; Bequests to research down by pounds 200, 000.

Byline: JESSICA SHAUGHNESSY

DAME Judi Dench is backing a Liverpool-based campaign encouraging people to leave legacies to charity in their wills.

The North West Cancer Research Fund has lost more than pounds 200, 000 in revenue from legacies in the past two years.

Now it has recruited Dame Judi to help a drive to encourage people to think of the fund when they are setlling their affairs for after their death.

Dame Judi, whose husband Michael Williams died of cancer, said: ``Legacies are the lifeblood of charities like the North West Cancer Research Fund.

``Cancer is a devastating disease that unfortunately affects one in three of us. Research is not glamorous or appealing, but without it the causes of cancer will never be found.

``Please help to make the future brighter for the next generation by leaving a legacy in your will. ''

The North West Cancer Research Fund is the only charity in the region to sign up to a national awareness campaign reminding the public to leave money to charity.

Remember A Charity is the biggest combined effort of its kind ever in the UK, with more than 130 charities trying to make leaving a bequest the norm rather than the exception.

Almost seven out of 10 people in the UK population support charities, but fewer than one in 20 remember a charity in their will.

In the last few years, the North West Cancer Research Fund's legacy income has been falling. In 2002, legacy income total led nearly pounds 380, 000 but this fell to less than pounds 258, 000 in 2003 that's a drop of more than pounds 121, 000.

But the following year, the figure dropped by a further pounds 85, 000, making the the total loss to the charity more than pounds 200, 000.

Income from legacies is a very important source of funding to a lot of charities but it is also a form of income organisations have least control of.

They often will not know that someone has remembered them in their will until the money is received.

Chairman of the fund John Lewys-Lloyd, said: ``Legacies are a way in which we can carry on helping others after we have died.

``We are so grateful to Dame Judi for realizing the importance of legacies and backing our efforts. ''

The North West Cancer Research Fund makes between pounds 750, 000 and pounds 1m available every year for fundamental research into the causes of cancer.

Virtually all of the money raised by the fund comes from voluntary efforts and donations.

Throughout its 57-year history, an average of nearly 90p in every pound raised has been spent directly on research.

All legacies to a charity are free of Inheritance Tax which could have the effect of saving 40% in death duties.

It is also possible to leave a specific item to a charity in a will, for example stocks and shares, a property or a painting.

To remember the North West Cancer Research Fund in your will, contact the general secretary at 22 Oxford Street, Liverpool L7 7BL, telephone [phone], email: nwcrf@btclick. com.

CAPTION(S):

Dame Judi Dench supports the campaign