A FORMER town mayor and her Rotary Club colleagues have raised more than £6,000 for a national children’s charity.

Trish Pemberton, the former Mayor of Shildon, and Nora Scott, president of Newton Aycliffe Rotary Club, will present cheques totalling £6,100 to the NSPCC next week.

Ms Pemberton chose the NSPCC as her charity of the year and organised a host of fundraising activities, including a Valentine’s Ball and a Tea in the Park event to celebrate the Flying Scotsman’s visit to Locomotion. There was also a bag pack in Tesco’s and a sponsored walk organised in partnership with the Rotary Club to celebrate the 191st birthday of the Stockton and Darlington Railway.

Ms Pemberton said she had joined the local branch of the NSPCA, adding: “I want to continue to raise funds for the NSPCC as, sadly, it seems to be needed more than ever. As a former teacher and residential social worker, it just seems the right thing to do.”