Warwick’s 1100 Fund - first donations

Cllr Grainger raised some £11,500 in the first six months of her term of office after pledging to support a range of local good causes to mark the town’s 1,100 year anniversary.

On Tuesday she presented the first of what is expected to be a host of greater and smaller cheques. This was a modest £110 to buy 11 New Home Packs for women taking shelter in a Warwick refuge who will shortly be trying to live independently.

The money was handed to Helen Smith, who set up Evelyn’s Gift in memory of her beloved daughter Evelyn, who died in 2013 at the age of seven.

Mrs Smith, who has gone on to help more than 300 parents and teachers to learn artificial respiration, wants to administer small acts of kindness in her daughter’s name.

Cllr Grainger was pleased to be able to give her a helping hand and said: “I have decided to extend the date for applications for the first share in my 1100 Fund until the end of this month. After that there will be another chance to apply in May, when we have raised some more money.”

She is currently inviting people to buy £35 tickets for her ladies’ lunch at the Warwick Hilton on March 14 when BBC reporter Sarah Falkland will be the guest speaker and profits will be divided between the 1100 Fund and Myton Hospices. Ring 411694.