We are delighted to announce that yesterday, Jewish Care, the leading health and social care charity for the Jewish community, received the prestigious national award of Legacy Fundraising Team of the Year at the Smee & Ford Legacy Giving Awards, the annual national legacy industry awards.
This is the only UK legacy awards recognising professionals and teams across the whole legacy giving sector, celebrating the outstanding achievements, talent, and dedication of UK legacy giving professionals and highlighting the vital and significant income that gifts in wills bring to charities.
Jewish Care’s Director of Fundraising & Marketing, Ellisa Estrin, said, “It was an honour for Jewish Care to win this award, and proud that our hard work, passion, and dedication to our cause and community has been recognised in this way, as the only communal charity to be shortlisted in this category in amongst huge well-known national charities. I would like to wish our Legacy Fundraising Team and lay leaders a huge Mazeltov and thank them for their tireless dedication to raising much-needed funds for our vital services for the community through legacies, ensuring that we can continue to be there for those in the community who rely on our support, now and in the future.”
The organisers of the Smee & Ford Legacy Awards, say, “This prestigious award recognises a legacy fundraising team that has achieved many great things with the strategy and goes from strength to strength with its legacy programme.”
Jewish Care was shortlisted in the category with national charities, Oxfam GB, MIND, Guide Dogs, Action for Children, Jewish Care, World Vision UK, VSO and Cats Protection.
Announcing the award at the ceremony the presenter said, “The judges were very impressed by this entry illustrating the remarkable success that can be achieved by a small team of three people in the organisation’s Legacy Team and a restricted audience making a significant impact in their organisation and into the wider sector. Through creative methods and effective use of volunteers Jewish Care is truly punching above its weight with a bright future in legacy fundraising. Well done to all involved!”
The judges recognised the Legacy Team’s innovative work. This includes roadshows and legacy events, actively reaching out to the community to create opportunities for open conversations about the importance of legacies to the organisation. The charity’s ‘Beyond Incredible’ campaign also highlights the way that individuals can do something that is beyond incredible, as by leaving a legacy they are helping to ensure that Jewish Care is there for our community, for generations to come.
The ceremony took place at the Hilton Bankside, London, on 24 April 2025, hosted by Comedian Jo Caulfield. The event was attended by over 300 guests bringing together legacy professionals from across the charity sector to recognise and celebrate the significant contribution of legacy income for charities and their beneficiaries.