Why your donation can make such a huge difference
You can change someone's life for the better simply by clicking on a few buttons:
Click to start a reglar gift today
Click to give a single gift
Click for information about leaving a legacy
You would be amazed how much can be achieved with just a small amount of money. The combination of your help and our expertise really can change people's lives for the better.
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Lachhu lived with her family in the Adilabad district of India. When she began to develop patches on her skin at first she paid no attention to them. But gradually the disease progressed and as her fingers became clawed, she was unable to perform her day-to-day activities. These deformities marked her out as an obvious case of leprosy and there was deep rooted stigma in the village. |
Despite protests from her family they were powerless to stop the village elders from throwing Lachhu out. She was ostracised by her community and for 15 years was forced to live alone in a shed a mile outside the village. Her family had to accept that the villagers hated her because they feared being infected.
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When a community health worker discovered Lachhu living alone and in poverty he informed LEPRA of her plight. LEPRA held several meetings with the elders to persuade them that leprosy is not spread by touch and was a curable disease. Six sessions of street theatre, puppetry, ‘video van’ screenings and leaflets were used to educate the villagers. Gradually, through education, their perception of leprosy changed. |
LEPRA also provided her with medical treatment, physiotherapy and footwear. As a result of the education programme, the villagers were persuaded to accept Lachhu back into their community. She is now reunited with her family and has been able to return to her home.
Thanks to the work of LEPRA, Lachhu is now back with her children and grandchildren.
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The more we can reach out and educate communities, the less people will suffer the terrible rejection & stigma often experienced by those with leprosy, HIV or lymphatic filariasis. Your support for LEPRA can help to ensure that more families are able to stay together. |
You're now only a few clicks away from providing the kind of support that changes someone's life.
• Click to start a regular gift today
• Click to give a single gift
GIFT AID - YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Click here to download a Gift Aid declaration form
What is Gift Aid?
Gift Aid was introduced by the government to encourage more people to donate to charity. It makes donations worth almost 30% more, by allowing the charity to claim back tax, if the giver is a UK taxpayer.
You do not need to be working full time in order to pay tax. For example if you have a deposit bank or building society account, own stocks or shares, or have a pension other than the basic state pension, you are probably a taxpayer and can Gift Aid your donations making them worth almost 30% more at no extra cost to yourself.
How do I know if I'm a UK tax payer?
You are a UK tax payer if:
Tax is taken from your wages or salary before you receive your pay
You have to fill in a self-assessment form each year
You have any taxable savings (in a Building Society, for instance), or a pension plan, or investment income
If you have recently paid any capital gains tax, or expect to pay it in the near future. This could be on the sale of a property or some shares, for example.
If any of these applies to you, please complete and return your declaration so LEPRA can reclaim the tax on your donations. Please note: Inheritance Tax does not count as UK income tax.
What if I don't pay UK tax?
Please let us know if you don't pay tax by calling 08451 21 21 21. We can then make a note on your records.
What if I'm a pensioner?
You may still pay tax on a private pension plan or a savings account, or pay capital gains tax if you sell property or shares. If so, please complete and return your form to explain that you are a tax payer.
What if I'm a higher rate tax payer?
LEPRA can still only claim back at the basic rate, but please complete and return the Declaration anyway. You can tick a box on your self-assessment tax return form nominating LEPRA to receive the other 18%. The relevant code for LEPRA is ZAC64FG
What if I'm a lower rate tax payer?
If you pay a lower rate (10% or 20%), LEPRA can still claim back 28p for each £1 you donate, provided you pay enough tax to cover the claim in the tax year you make the gift(s).
If I complete and return the Declaration, does that commit me to giving money?
No, absolutely not. It just means that if you do decide to give any amount to LEPRA, we can claim back from the Inland Revenue an extra 28p for every £1 you donate.
Who will have access to this information about me?
Only LEPRA and the Inland Revenue will have this information - we do not share such personal information with anyone else.
What if I send my donations via the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF)?
If you make donations via CAF voucher, tax has already been reclaimed. However, please fill the Declaration form in anyway so that any separate donations you may make can be tax effective as well.
Is it really that easy? What's the catch?
There's no catch. You just complete the Declaration on-line. Then if you choose to give to LEPRA in the future we will be able to claim more money from the Government, without costing you a penny.
Please notify us if you want to sign up to Gift Aid, or if your tax status changes, by filling in one of our Gift Aid forms, or telephoning us on 08451 21 21 21.
HOW REGULAR GIVING HELPS FIGHT POVERTY
Committing yourself to giving a regular gift ensures LEPRA has a reliable source of regular income which enables us to plan work in advance, and thereby budget much more effectively.
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We all know that money doesn't go very far these days - for instance, how much can you buy for 20p a day? Precious little. However, for £5 a month (less than 20p per day) you can provide basic essentials like life-saving health care and life-changing education and small business skills to the people who most need them. |
| Making a donation to LEPRA is easy and assured by Direct Debit. Payments by Direct Debit help LEPRA to keep administrative costs to a minimum, ensuring that even more of your money goes towards the cause you have chosen. What's more, with your permission, we can claim back the tax on your donation through Gift Aid, so that your donation will be worth nearly 30% more at no extra cost to you whatsoever. |  |
You can print a Direct Debit mandate in PDF format by Clicking here and email or post it directly to us.
WHAT COMMITTED GIVING CAN PROVIDE
£8 A MONTH
• Will help cure 4 or more people of leprosy or TB
• Will help educate local people to identify the diseases that can destroy their lives
• Will help pay for a school education programme so young children understand from an early age how to look after themselves and where to go for help if they ever need it
• Will help pay for a bicycle so that LEPRA field workers can reach people who live in remote areas or people who are unable to travel
£10 A MONTH
• Will help pay for the nurses and paramedics who diagnose and treat leprosy and TB
• Will allow a paramedic to see around 1,000 patients each year and diagnose them. They will also give them advice and treatment for their illness, or refer them to other services if necessary.
• Will help under-resourced local health systems to deliver a better quality of care by screening the population for diseases, making patient registration more efficient and improving the quality of information kept on patients' records
• Will help rehabilitate people recovering from diseases so that they are not only cured, but also able to play a full role in society once more.
£15 A MONTH
• Will help pay for a surgeon for one year.
• Will enable a surgeon to operate on more than 600 patients in one year.
• Will enable a surgeon to perform reconstructive surgery to hands and feet which have been damaged because of leprosy. A person can regain the use of their hands and/or feet so that they can lead independent lives in the future.
• Will enable a surgeon to operate on eyes unable to close because of leprosy, restoring the ability to blink, so protecting their eyes from damage, and thereby saving their sight.
LEAVING A LEGACY
Legacies are special gifts from one generation to another. By remembering LEPRA in your Will, you are providing people who really need your support with hope for their future
Why leave a legacy?
Leaving a legacy is an opportunity to extend a lifetime of support for LEPRA's work
Legacies - Frequently asked questions
If you have any questions not answered below regarding legacy gifts or LEPRA's work, please contact us. We are more than happy to help. Phone us on 08451 21 21 21 or email: fundraising@lepra.org.uk or write to Legacy Information, LEPRA, 28 Middleborough, Colchester, Essex CO1 1TG
What happens if I don't have a Will?
Who should write my Will?
Can a gift to charity help me pay less tax?
Can LEPRA be my executor?
Can I specify how my money is used by LEPRA?
If I've left a gift to LEPRA in my Will, should I tell you?
What happens if I don't have a Will? If you die without making a Will, this could result in your estate not going where you would have wished. For instance, your husband or wife may not automatically receive all of your estate.
Who should write my Will? Using a practising solicitor is by far the best (and safest) way to ensure your Will is legally correct and that your wishes will be followed.
Can a gift to charity help me pay less tax? The money and assets left in your estate may be subject to inheritance tax (the rules for which can change with any Chancellor's budget). It may be of advantage to divide your estate so that your family and friends are left gifts below the tax threshold and so do not have to pay for inheritance tax. The remainder can then be shared between as many charities as you choose, since charities are exempt from paying this tax.
Can LEPRA be my executor? If you remember LEPRA in your Will we may be able to act as your executor. Your personal circumstances will dictate whether or not we are able to accept this responsibility. We are bound both by the Charity Commission, who set out our legal terms of reference, and our paramount duty to help those with leprosy and allied diseases to help themselves. This means that we need to know how complex it would be to administer a supporter's estate so that we can ensure that any expense incurred by acting as an executor is covered by the gift left to LEPRA.
Can I specify how my money is used by LEPRA? LEPRA works to restore health, hope and dignity in the developing world. Over time the nature and areas where there is a need, changes. It is therefore generally not advisable to be too specific in your Will about how you would like your money to be spent, as there is a chance that LEPRA will not be working in a particular region, or engaged in specific types of work when your gift is made. We would prefer that you trust us to use your gift wisely where the need is greatest. It would be a tragedy if LEPRA was unable to accept the gift as you had intended and those in greatest need were denied the benefit of your generosity.
If I've left a gift to LEPRA in my Will, should I tell you? Yes, it is really helpful if you can let us know that you have included us in your Will as that way we know that we needn't approach you again. We can also update you with aspects of LEPRA's current work, and areas of our work that are particularly interesting and relevant to you.
Email us for legacy information or phone 08451 21 21 21
OTHER WAYS TO DONATE TO LEPRA
If you do not want to donate on line, but still wish to give money to help LEPRA's work worldwide, you can donate money to us in the following ways:
By cheque (payable to 'LEPRA')
Cheques can be sent by post to the following address:
LEPRA 28 Middleborough Colchester Essex CO1 1TG
By credit or debit card over the telephone
Please call 08451 21 21 21 to make a donation or an enquiry by telephone
Through your pay packet - Payroll giving
You can make a gift to LEPRA through your pay packet. If your company operates a Payroll Giving scheme, just let your employer know how much you want to give and how often. Your gift is then transferred to LEPRA from your pre-tax wage without you having to do anything else. Ask your employer for information about payroll giving, or contact fundraising@lepra for a confidential and informal chat. We will be pleased to advise you.
WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES
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£5 pays for a cobbler to make specialist shoes for insensitive feet. These shoes are vital to ensure that no further damage is done to feet that cannot feel when thorns, or other sharp objects, cut them. |
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£10 pays for a Health Team to visit a village and educate the community about the diseases of poverty that affect them, and where they can obtain advice and treatment. |
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£20 pays for a School Education Programme which will visit schools to check the children for early signs of leprosy, TB and other diseases of poverty, thereby ensuring that they will not suffer the stigma, or indeed the deformities and damage that these diseases can cause if left untreated. |
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£70 covers the cost of providing a paramedic for one month. The more paramedics we can provide, the more we can get into more difficult areas to seek out and treat those with diseases of poverty. |
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£133 buys a set of ocular surgical instruments so that surgery can be carried out on damaged eyes, and often restore sight. |
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£400 buys a high-powered microscope to read slides which thereby provide a better diagnosis of the diseases that affect poverty-stricken areas. |
A SINGLE GIFT CAN CHANGE A LIFE
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You can also make a significant difference to someone's life by making a single gift to LEPRA. Our simple one-click donation form allows you, with the touch of a single finger, to change someone's life for the better in seconds. You're only a few clicks away from changing someone's life for the better by your donation. |
Or if you would prefer to give us your details over the phone you can call us on 01206 216700.
Make a difference Make a single giftStart a regular gift Where your money goes Other ways to donateLeave a legacyGift Aid