Jersey has been shaped, in part, by the generosity of people who lived here, loved the Island and chose to give something back.
Some of those gifts are still very visible today, and some of their stories go back hundreds of years. Yet they share a common thread: people who had achieved success, wanted to share it with others and with the Island they called home.
Marie Bartlet is one of the earliest examples. When she died in 1741, she left a substantial sum in her Will to help build a hospital for the poor. It took more than 50 years for her wish to be fulfilled, but the hospital she helped establish still stands today.
Another remarkable example is the Greville Bathe Fund, which was created more than 60 years ago. Established with an initial investment of less than £4 million, the Fund has since distributed more than £10 million to support charitable causes and individuals in Jersey, while continuing to grow and is now worth more than £20 million.
It is a powerful reminder that a legacy does not necessarily end when the original gift is made. With careful management, it can become an enduring source of support for the Island, helping people and causes for generations.
Then there was T.B. Davis, who left Jersey as a young man, made his fortune in South Africa and eventually returned to the Island where he was born. In memory of his son Howard, who was killed in the First World War, he gave land to the people of Jersey which became Howard Davis Park.
Jesse and Florence Boot also made a lasting contribution to Jersey. After building the Boots business into a major national retailer, they retired to the Island in the 1920s. Their gifts included FB Fields, the school at La Motte Street and land for St Nicholas Church. After Jesse's death, Florence commissioned the rebuilding of St Matthew's Church at Millbrook and donated the surrounding land, now Coronation Park.
And more recently, we have seen the same spirit of giving from people who chose Jersey as their home.
Sir David Kirch moved to the Island in 1973 after a successful career in property. He went on to become one of Jersey's best-known philanthropists, giving generously to support older Islanders. For many people, his name will always be associated with the vouchers he gave to pensioners at Christmas and around Liberation Day.
Following his death earlier this year, his charitable trust will continue its work supporting older people in Jersey.
Of course, very few of us will leave behind a park, a hospital or a charitable fortune. But that does not mean we cannot leave a legacy.
And that is really what this year's Legacy Week is about.
The important point is much simpler: these people chose to use some of what they had to benefit others and, in doing so, left something that outlived them.
That is the conversation we want to encourage during Legacy Week.
A gift in your Will can be large or small. It could be a fixed sum or a percentage of your estate. You might choose to support a charity that has meant something to you personally, or a cause you have always cared about.
For some people, it might be about supporting children and young people. For others, it could be mental health, the environment, older people, animal welfare or helping Islanders through difficult times.
The important thing is that it is personal.
And while a single gift might feel modest, collectively legacy gifts can make a huge difference to charities and the people they support. They can provide funding that helps an organisation continue its work, plan ahead or try something new.
We have a good modern example of this in Jersey through the Sedel-Collings Foundation.
Rae Sedel and John Collings wanted to create a lasting charitable legacy. They established their foundation during their lifetime and, following their deaths, a significant proportion of their wealth continued to support the causes they cared about.
Today, that funding is helping charities working with care leavers, survivors of abuse, people experiencing loneliness and those struggling with mental health and bereavement. On average their fund distributes around £300,000 a year to charitable causes in Jersey so their legacy is continuing, and is also responding to the needs of people living in Jersey today.
Of course, talking about what happens after we die is not always easy. It can feel uncomfortable, and many of us tend to put off conversations about Wills and future plans.
But there is another way of looking at it.
A conversation about leaving a legacy can also be a conversation about the things that have mattered to us during our lives.
Perhaps there is a charity that supported you or someone in your family at an important time. Perhaps there is an issue you have always felt strongly about. Or perhaps you simply feel fortunate to have lived in Jersey and would like to leave something that helps future generations.
These are conversations worth having with the people closest to us.
There is no need for them to be gloomy or embarrassing. In fact, talking openly about what we value and what we would like to support can be a positive way of sharing those values with our children and grandchildren.
We are lucky in Jersey to have some very visible reminders of what can happen when people choose to give something back.
This Legacy Week, charities across Jersey are asking people simply to start the conversation.
Think about the causes you care about. Talk to your family about what matters to you. And, when the time comes to make or update your Will, consider whether leaving a gift to charity could be part of your plans.
It doesn't have to be a fortune. It doesn't have to have your name on it.
But it could make a difference to someone else's future.
Thinking about leaving a gift to charity?
A charitable legacy is simply a gift that you leave to a charity or charitable cause in your Will.
It could be:
A fixed sum of money
A percentage or share of your estate
A gift to a particular charity or cause that matters to you
A gift that can be used to respond to changing needs in Jersey
Start with a conversation
If you are thinking about leaving a charitable gift, talk to the people closest to you about what matters to you and the causes you would like to support.
Your solicitor or professional adviser can advise you on making or updating your Will and ensuring your wishes are properly recorded.
Find out more
During Legacy Week, charities across Jersey are encouraging Islanders to think about the difference they could make for future generations.
You can speak directly to a charity you care about to find out more about leaving a gift, or visit Jersey Community Foundation for information about legacy giving.