Now if he’d like to send some of the remaining fortune our way…
Richard Branson and his wife Joan are two of the latest celebs to sign away half of their fortune to charity. The Founder of the Virgin group joined a group of 12 billionaires who have donated half of their wealth to charity The Giving Pledge.
Initially, the list was only to include U.S. billionaires but The Giving Pledge decided to expand their operation, and now the list includes billionaires from all over the globe, including Russia, the UK and Germany. Other signatories include Bill Gates and Vladimir Potanin.
Branson commented in his letter: “As a young man, I never set out to make money… We set out to create things that we could be proud of and try to make a difference.”
The billionaire introduced his letter by declaring: “‘Stuff’ really is not what brings happiness. Family, friends, good health and the satisfaction that comes from making a positive difference are what really matters.”
The Giving Pledge describes itself on its website as a charity with “a commitment by the world’s wealthiest individuals and families to dedicate the majority of their wealth to philanthropy.”
The businessman is no stranger to generosity. During the early days of the Madeleine McCann search, Branson was believed to have quietly donated funds to the search and also funded the legal companion of the parents.
Keep up the good work Richard, straight to heaven!
