A gift that keeps giving: Pam's story of leaving a legacy for Somerset

Pam at her home in Street.

This Remember a Charity Week, we want to share the stories of people who’ve chosen to leave a gift to Somerset in their Will.

Pam Burrough’s story shows how generosity creates a lasting legacy. In 1998, she founded the Graham Burrough Trust in memory of her late husband. After 20 years, she closed the Trust in 2018, with its assets shared between Somerset Community Foundation and Dorset Community Foundation to be held as Forever Funds in our endowment, providing permanent funding for good causes for years to come.

Since then, The Graham Burrough Charitable Trust has awarded over £77,000 to mental health causes across the county.

A life rooted in Somerset

We asked Pam about her connection to Somerset, and why she decided to leave a legacy.

“I’ve lived here for half of my life; it was work that brought me to Somerset. I joined the school library service, and it wasn’t like work at all – it was enormous fun, travelling around supplying books to schools. Then I spent 17 years as area librarian here in Street,” she explained.

“Glastonbury is my favourite place in Somerset – I’ve attended the church there for many decades and built important, long-standing friendships. I love its bones. I love its history. It’s a bit mad these days, and that’s fun as well.”

Sharing good fortune

Pam’s decision to leave a gift in her Will comes from a lifelong instinct to give back.

 “I’ve always had that feeling that I’ve been so fortunate, and there are many people who just don’t manage to get off the ground, because of their circumstances, even in this country,” she says.

“My mother used to tell me, you can only help in your own little sphere. You can’t put the world right; you can only do what you can in your very small space.”

Pam’s gift will continue to support mental health causes in Somerset including the families of those suffering from mental illness. Our team’s local knowledge means we can make sure her gift keeps reaching the causes she cares about most, for generations to come.

“I hope it will help a lot of folk who are struggling in some way or another. I shall never know who they are, but the thought of just helping individual people – that is what’s important.”

If you’d like to explore leaving a gift in your will to your corner of Somerset, you can find out more and download our Gifts in Wills guide.