THE Great North Air Ambulance, hospices and armed forces charities are among the good causes to have benefited from a council donation scheme.

More than £3,000 has been donated to eight different organisations through the Pennies from Heaven scheme at Durham County Council.

Under the initiative, 162 workers and 42 elected councillors signed up to make donations directly from their monthly pay slips.

The North East Autism Society has been the biggest winner so far, collecting £838.65 since the programme started, followed by the North East Disabilities Resource Centre and Veterans at Ease, which have received about £600 each.

Alison Lazazzera, head of people and talent management at Durham County Council, said: “This is just one element of our staff’s tremendous efforts for people in need, be it giving to a food bank, donating Easter eggs or holding bake sales for a range of charities.

Under the scheme, every pay slip is rounded down to the nearest full pound, with the remaining pennies donated to a designated charity, meaning the maximum contribution per month is just 99p.

Visit www.penniesfromheaven.co.uk to find out more.

Donations:

North East Disabilities Resource Centre – £600.62

Veterans at Ease – £600.61

The North East Autism Society – £838.65

Great North Air Ambulance – £361.22

Treetops Children’s Ward, University Hospital of North Durham – £73.41

Butterwick Hospice – £506.37

British Legion – £168.67

Cardiac Risk in the Young – £168.66