Will donation for charity

7:40am Friday 18th July 2008

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A CHARITY focused on caring for the bereaved is able to continue its work thanks to a local benefactor's kind donation.

Molly Stone, who had lived in the city all her life, left £50,000 to the St Albans Bereavement Network (SABN) when she passed away recently.

SABN offers a counselling and visiting service to people of all ages who are mourning the loss of a loved one.

The charity is dependent on funding from local authorities as well as individual donations in order to continue its work.

However, the most recent grant from St Albans District Council was £1500 a great deal less than Miss Stone's cheque and barely enough to support the growing public need.

Dr Michael Elves, Chairman of SABN, said: "The success rate of public funding is not very high while public demand for the service is now exceeding 1,000 people.

Our client growth is about 300 each year.

“We have made applications to charitable trusts but this is very labour intensive."

Miss Stone's donation will be put towards employing another member of staff to help with fundraising and administration.

Dr Elves added: "In this way the investment our benefactor made will produce more funds itself. We are extremely grateful for the generosity of Miss Stone."

When arranging her will Miss Stone was set on helping local people and was touched to hear of the professional support SABN offered.

Miss Stone's solicitor, George Salvarjan of R. H. Lloyd & Co, said: "All along she always wanted to give to charities after giving gifts to other members of her family.

“Her previous will 15 years ago also featured many charities in it."

The cheque was presented by Mark Varney, Miss Stone's nephew, at SABN's Annual Summer Party.

Nearly a hundred people attended and enjoyed lively singing from The Kings of Herts who had donated their services.