What could my Gift do?
Past legacies from Members of the Society have been a major contributing factor in helping the EES to continue its work and are a way of leaving a lasting memory for families or loved ones.
Many of the gifts the Society receives through legacies go towards specific areas of the Society's activities, such as excavation, publication or the Archives, and reflect the interests of the donor. Others gifts are made to general funds which enable the Society to use the gift where it is needed most.
The Murphy Bequest:
In 2006 the Society received a bequest of £23,000 from the estate of an Australian member, Michael Murphy, who asked for his gift to be used in aid of restoration work, including recording and collecting data at the site of Memphis. This bequest has ensured that work on the Survey of Memphis project has continued and that valuable seasons of excavation and research have been undertaken; David Jeffreys' important work helping to further our understanding of Nile channels and early settlement areas around this early capital of Egypt.
The Lucy Gura Archive:
In 2006 the Society received a gift of £40,000 from the estate of Lucy Gura, a Member of the Society. This substantial gift, together with a further £5,000 generously donated by the Gura family was used to create the Lucy Gura Archive. It has been invaluable in the digitalisation of 14,000 of the earliest photographs in the Society’s collection and reflects Lucy's interest in photography. It has enabled the preservation of the material, allowing us to make better use of the Archive whilst also making it more widely accessible.
In 2009/10 the Society again focused on the Archives, looking to advance the work that had begun with the Gura Family's original gift. The money raised is aiming to improve facilities and to build on the generous legacy of Lucy's passion.
General Bequests:
Although some bequests to the Society are made to particular funds for specific purposes reflecting the interests of the donor, others are made to general funds so we can use the gift as we see fit in furtherance of our charitable aims. In the last few years, we have received a number of general bequests from members and friends of the Society, ranging from a few hundred pounds to, in one instance, over £60,000.
These gifts have been especially valuable as they are unrestricted and have allowed us to target these funds to where the Society has needed them most. If you are writing your will for the first time, or perhaps revising one, please do think of the Society and help us to continue our work.