The impact of legacy gifts

A large part of CPAG’s success over the years has been built on the legacies we have received from our members and supporters, including from our founders.

Brian Abel-Smith

Thanks to a gift left in the will of founder Brian Abel-Smith and other legacy gifts, we were able to purchase a building with a purpose-built training suite to offer courses for hundreds of advisers each year. 

Brian’s legacy lives on to this day: CPAG now reaches over 10,300 advisers and frontline workers each year through our training, conferences, seminars and online resources, and we distribute over 18,300 handbooks and publications.

Mary Barker

Mary Barker authored “Theories of Practice in Social Work”. We received her very generous legacy in 2019, the same year when CPAG’s judicial review proceedings ensured that between £100 and £150 million pounds would be paid out to around 70,000 disabled people who were underpaid when they were moved from incapacity benefit to employment and support allowance.

John Veit-Wilson

A lifelong, passionate campaigner against child poverty from age 29, John was one of CPAG's founders, a trustee and on our policy committee. 

His legacy gift in 2022 was the year our unwavering campaign for universal free school meals saw some success, with all primary school children in Wales starting to benefit from universal provision.

Biddy Macfarlane

Biddy, one of only two female solicitors in Bristol when she qualified in 1954, was a CPAG member for 38 years. Throughout her life and career, she had very strong feelings about justice for people and those disadvantaged by not having the means of support or representation of themselves and their rights. Her legacy lives on through CPAG's strategic litigation which promotes the rights of families with children.

Daphne Norbury

Daphne was a CPAG supporter for 32 years. Her gift in April 2020 helped us rapidly respond to families across the country who found themselves facing additional financial pressures because of the pandemic.

Thank you

Our work is only possible thanks to supporters like Brian, Mary, John, Biddy and Daphne. For over 55 years, CPAG has worked relentlessly to ensure children’s voices are heard, that families struggling financially are supported and that decision-makers are held to account.

We are grateful to everyone who has remembered us in this way. Your support has been and will continue to be invaluable.