The Leander 1818 Legacy Society

Have a lasting impact on the Club’s future

Help Leander’s athletes by leaving a legacy in your Will

Leander has always benefitted from the generosity of Members, both through bequests in their Wills and through donations in their lifetime. Indeed, this generosity has been essential to the development of the Club. Bequests in Wills have however often been entirely unexpected, and we wish we had known!

The Leander 1818 Legacy Society

Many clubs, universities, schools, and other organisations have a type of legacy society that recognises those who are leaving them a bequest. It is for these reasons that Leander has established the Leander 1818 Society under the Chairmanship of Mike Sweeney, the name reflecting the year in which the Club was formed.

Membership Rewards

The intention is that there will be an annual lunch at the Club for members and a guest, at which the Society Chairman will be present and where members will be brought up to date with recent developments at the Club and its plans for the future.

Members will also be invited for a tour of the Club and attendance at the regular Leander book talks and other Club events, and to a drinks reception during Henley Royal Regatta. (During HRR 2026 this is on Tuesday 30 June at 6pm.)

As a recognition of membership, members will receive a lapel badge recognising their legacy intent, and an annual newsletter.

Special arrangements will be made for Members of the Society who are unable to attend events at the Club.

Who can join the 1818 Society?

All Members are invited to consider leaving a legacy to the Club. A decision to make a bequest in a Will is of course very personal, and there is no obligation to tell us your intentions, although an indication of the minimum amount being considered would be helpful. However, we would welcome the opportunity to thank you and to keep you informed of our plans, but anonymity can be maintained if desired.

If you are able to support the Club through membership of the 1818 Society then it gives the Club the most flexibility if your donation is designated for Leander’s General Funds, but we would be equally grateful if you prefer to be specific about how you would like your bequest to be used, within the Club’s strategic objectives.

Whether you are thinking of revising an existing Will or writing one for the first time, we would be very pleased to discuss the method of giving with you.

If you have already left a legacy to Leander in your Will, then please tell us. We would like the opportunity to thank you and to offer you membership of the 1818 Society.

We would be very pleased to help those who might be considering a bequest, guide them through the process and, most importantly, recognise their support via membership of the 1818 Legacy Society and its related benefits. Legal advice should be taken before any decisions are made.

The Leander Trust

We work closely with the Leander Trust to ensure there is no conflict between us. The Trust is well established and supports young athletes (not just Leander athletes) and outreach projects in the Thames Valley. Bequests to the Trust are also exempt from Inheritance Tax. (Information from legacies@ leandertrust.org). The Leander 1818 Legacy Society will operate alongside the Trust to provide an opportunity for potential donors to support Leander in its broadest sense rather than simply young athletes (defined as in full time education by the Trust).

Donations during your Lifetime

Gifts during a member’s lifetime have the added advantage that donors can see the impact that their gifts are having, as well as giving the Club the opportunity to recognise and thank them. Such donations are always welcome and have been essential to the Club’s progress and success. They have not hitherto received public recognition, but the Club aims to remedy this unless anonymity is requested. If you would like to discuss this with us, as an alternative to a bequest in your Will, we would be more than pleased to talk or meet in confidence.

Sponsorship, Donations and Legacies Committee

The Committee oversees and manages the administration and stewardship of sponsorship, donations and legacies to the Club, ensuring alignment with its mission and values. In particular it coordinates Boat Naming, the relationship with Chapel & York (with the potential for US citizens to claim tax relief on donations) and the 1818 Legacy Society.

How to Proceed

In the first instance it would be very helpful if you could complete the Pledge Form (click here) which can also be used to request a further discussion.  Please print/complete and either post back or scan and return by email to legacies@leander.co.uk

Peter Greenslade: Chair, Leander Sponsorship, Donations and Legacies Committee

Mike Sweeney CBE: Chair, The Leander 1818 Legacy Society. President HRR

Leander Club, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire RG9 2LP