Longstanding legacy collaboration gets results for animal welfare charity

The background


Founded in 1897, Blue Cross is a registered animal welfare charity that continues to transform the lives of pets and people by helping to provide life-saving operations, paying for food and finding new homes.

 

With legacy income currently totalling £25m each year, gifting has become a critical revenue stream for the charity – so much so that it now accounts for over 50 per cent of total income.

 

In order to ensure that its legacy management strategy is effectively delivered and the organisation futureproofed, Blue Cross uses FirstClass’s legacy management platform – and has done so since 2005. And, as the importance of legacy revenue has grown, so too has the capability of its FirstClass platform.

 

These days, Blue Cross uses the very latest in legacy management software. However, it wasn’t always like that.

“When I joined the organisation in the late 1990s, we were reliant on a spreadsheet to manage legacy income of around £7m. It was incredibly basic, there was too much manual accounting and there was a lot of duplication. In 2005, shortly after I began leading the legacy team, we installed FirstClass and never looked back. It has been developed by legacy professionals, it’s bespoke to the nature of our work and it does everything we need it to do.”

 

Emma Colborne, Head of Legacy Administration at Blue Cross

The project


On installation of an earlier version of FirstClass in 2005, as part of a support and maintenance contract that remains in place today, Blue Cross’s Legacy Administration team immediately began exploring the system’s capabilities and establishing what additional functionality it required.

 

Working collaboratively with Blue Cross, FirstClass began designing in tools and reporting features based on real-time feedback it was receiving from the team. For example, if Blue Cross required specific reporting abilities in response to requests from the board of trustees, FirstClass’s design team would quickly incorporate it within the platform.

 

This partnership, which has lasted almost two decades, has resulted in Blue Cross having access to a cutting-edge legacy management system that supports the team’s every requirement. Even today, as part of the longstanding support contract, FirstClass continues to refine and development Blue Cross’s platform in response to industry and organisational changes.

 

In 1998, the Legacy Administration department was a team of two people. Now, in 2023, there are 10 members, all of whom use FirstClass to manage, record and execute the wishes of the several hundred giftors who each year leave a gift in their will to support the organisation.

The result


Since incorporating FirstClass, Blue Cross has:

 

  • Used the platform to scan, log and archive all incoming post, and now import emails, which has become the preferred communication method by solicitors
  • Issued all official correspondence to key stakeholders via the platform
  • Been able to quickly access giftors’ property and asset valuation details including estate value, offers received, sale prices and Blue Cross’s entitlement figures
  • Had instant access to real-time pipeline income so that at any given moment, Blue Cross can establish how much legacy income is due – and when it’s due by, appreciating though the fluctuations with asset values with changes in the external market
  • Used FirstClass’s accurate legacy pipeline forecasting to make strategic decisions on future spending and investment based on live gifting figures and projections
  • The ability to easily map out all legal fees pertaining to each individual case in the event of contention, which allows the organisation to establish likely legal costs vs likely legacy income
  • Set automatic review dates so that no individual case amongst Blue Cross’s 750 live cases gets lost or overlooked
  • Utilised the FirstClass Life Interest module, which supports generational mapping and ensures that gifts that have been left but benefit delayed until the death of a life tenant do not get overlooked – regardless of when the entitlement becomes due
  • Been able to quickly and easily allocate security clearance levels for all members of the organisation, so that only those who need to access and update sensitive information can.

“The FirstClass team is always on hand to help us. We have to review our contract annually but there’s no desire whatsoever to go elsewhere; it does everything we need and if it doesn’t, the FirstClass team make it happen. The platform really is a fundamental part of our organisation. If we didn’t have it, I don’t know what we’d do. I just couldn’t imagine life without the system. These days, if you were to suggest to the team that we were going back to paperless they’d all break out in a cold sweat!”

 

Emma Colborne, Head of Legacy Administration at Blue Cross

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The Hidden Power of Legacy Income

By Fiona Paton • November 18, 2025
Imagine a supporter who believes in your mission so deeply that they decide to make it part of their legacy. Long after they’re gone, their gift continues to fuel your work, carrying forward their values and trust in your cause. That’s the hidden power of legacy income - it’s not just funding, it’s a lasting bond between donor and organisation, built on loyalty and commitment. Beyond Paperwork Legacy gifts are one of the most impactful and emotionally significant forms of giving. They represent trust, loyalty, and a donor’s lasting commitment to your cause. But with that trust comes responsibility, and complexity. Managing legacy income isn’t simply about tracking paperwork. It’s about honouring a donor’s final wishes while ensuring their gift makes the greatest possible impact. Yet, many charities still rely on outdated tools or manual processes to manage gifts in wills. The consequences? Delays in processing Missed opportunities to maximise value Unnecessary risks that can erode donor confidence Why a Dedicated Legacy Income System Matters A modern, dedicated system transforms the way organisations handle bequests: Structure → Clear processes using best practices that reduce confusion and errors Visibility → Transparency across teams, ensuring everyone knows the status of each gift Confidence → Reliable data that builds trust with donors, families, and stakeholders This isn’t just about efficiency; it’s about safeguarding relationships and ensuring every legacy gift fulfils its intended purpose. Who Benefits? Whether you’re a charity, non‑profit, or higher education institution , getting smarter about how you manage legacy income is vital. With the right system in place, you can: Reduce administrative burden Protect against risk Unlock the full potential of legacy giving The Results of Smarter Legacy Income Management When charities and non‑profits adopt a dedicated legacy income system from FirstClass, the impact is clear: Faster processing & rapid access to records → Gifts are managed efficiently, reducing delays and ensuring funds reach the cause sooner. Income dashboards & financial reports → Real‑time visibility into pipeline, trends, and performance supports confident decision‑making. Customisable templates → Flexible tools that adapt to your processes, reducing admin and saving time. Contact records → Centralised donor and executor information strengthens relationships and ensures transparency. Reduced risk → Accurate records and structured processes protect against errors and safeguard donor trust. Seamless CRM integration → Works smoothly with key CRM partners, ensuring data flows without duplication. Smee and Ford integration → Direct connection to industry‑leading probate data for complete oversight. Stronger relationships → Families and executors feel reassured that gifts are handled with care and transparency. Legacy gifts are too important to be left to outdated processes. By adopting smarter tools, you can honor donor trust, reduce risk, and unlock the full potential of legacy income. Ready to transform how you manage legacy income? Get in touch with us today to see how our solutions can help you build confidence, efficiency, and growth for the future.

FirstClass goes Global

By Fiona Paton • November 4, 2025
The background International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) was founded in 1969, with the aim of stopping the commercial hunt for whitecoat seals on the east coast of Canada. IFAW has grown into a charity that works across seas, oceans, and in more than 40 countries around the world. IFAW is dedicated to building a world where animals and people can thrive together on a healthy planet. Through its work in the fields of biodiversity conservation and wildlife rescue, IFAW has had a major impact on ecosystems and communities around the world. With a third of the charity’s income stemming from legacies, IFAW has been using FirstClass to streamline, manage, and monitor this crucial revenue stream from its UK office for over 10 years. However, its international counterparts were using disparate systems that were incurring significantly more administration time than would have been required when using one standardised legacy management platform. In 2025, the decision to implement FirstClass across six new international territories was taken. 

Stay Informed: Microsoft SQL Server 2016 Retirement approaching

By Fiona Paton • October 30, 2025
With the upcoming retirement of Microsoft SQL Server 2016 on 14th July 2026 , we want to ensure you're aware of how this may impact your use of FirstClass. If you're using FirstClass 4 Web, Essentials, or Cloud , there's no action needed - your database is fully managed by us. If you're using FirstClass 4 In-house , then this update is important. Please review your setup or speak with us and/or your IT team to ensure you're prepared. To check your database type, open FirstClass , go to the System page from the main window, and look for whether you're using Microsoft SQL Server or Azure SQL Database . How to check your SQL Setup in FirstClass Open FirstClass and go to the System page (see below) from the main window, and look for whether you're using Microsoft SQL Server or Azure SQL Database . Locate the SQL Server Edition field: If it shows SQL Azure, you're using the cloud-based Azure SQL Database version. No action is needed - Microsoft handles updates automatically. If it shows something else like Standard or Enterprise Edition , you're using the traditional on-premise version. This requires manual updates and will eventually go out of support. Next, check the SQL Server Version field: This will show a numeric value (e.g., 13, 14, 15, 16). If your version is 13 or lower , you should begin planning with your IT department and our support team to upgrade your database server before support ends. Why it matters Security : Unsupported versions no longer receive security updates, leaving your systems vulnerable. Compliance : Many regulatory frameworks require supported software. Performance : Newer versions offer better performance, scalability, and features. If you're unsure about any of the above? Log a support ticket and we’ll be happy to assist. A sample of the System page is shown below, showing the SQL Server Edition and SQL Server Version information. For reference, the various SQL Server versions and their support dates are also listed in the table. The key date is the End of Extended Support column on the right, as this is the date Microsoft stops issuing security updates for that version of SQL Server.