Crisis Legacy Supporters: Alison and Peter

After graduating from Bristol University in 1965, Alison and Peter Bye spent most of their working lives in IT, and lived overseas for about 6 years, mostly in the Nordic area. They are now retired and live in Islington and have been giving to Crisis since 2009. 

We had the opportunity to speak to Alison and Peter about their relationship with Crisis and their generous decision to include a gift to Crisis in their Will.

“We have been very fortunate in our lives, partly as a result of when we were born. We went through university at a time when student numbers were much lower than today, tuition fees and much of living costs were supported out of the public purse, and getting a job was easy. We started our working lives with no debt. Supporting charities is one way of giving something back.”

However, in recent years, the Byes believe society has become more and unequal, which has led to the increase in homelessness in the UK.

“It’s impossible to avoid the problem, and it’s especially visible in major cities, particularly in London. And it’s getting worse”.

While Alison worked for the Confederation of British Industry, she was introduced to Crisis by a colleague, who volunteered at a Crisis at Christmas Day Centre.

“She told us all about it, and we were impressed by Crisis’ aim to solve the problem of homelessness in the long term by giving people a chance to get a stable life. It’s not just a temporary sticking plaster.”

Since this introduction, Alison and Peter became regular supporter of Crisis and in recent years have also included a gift in their Will.

“We decided to leave a gift in our Will to Crisis in order to create a better future for everyone.”

Leaving a gift in your Will to Crisis, no matter what size, can help someone on their journey out of homelessness. Find out more, including how easy it is to write your Will for free with Crisis. Or if you have any questions, please get in touch with our Legacy Manager, George Shelley on george.shelley@crisis.org.uk or 020 7036 2642.