MARK NICHOLLS A new fund is being launched in memory of a well-known Norfolk charity worker who was tragically killed in a road accident earlier this year.

MARK NICHOLLS

A new fund is being launched in memory of a well-known Norfolk charity worker who was tragically killed in a road accident earlier this year.

The Annie Bell Fund will be launched on Monday, July 24, at Norwich Cathedral at her memorial service.

Annie Bell, 62, who was passionately committed to the development of the voluntary and community sector in Norfolk, died in the crash on the A149 just north of Potter Heigham on May 17.

As a permanent memorial to Mrs Bell, her family is keen to continue her work through the establishment of The Annie Bell Fund with Norfolk Community Foundation.

Mrs Bell, who was head of partnership development at Norfolk and Norwich Volun-tary Services, was instru-mental in establishing Norfolk Community Foundation both as a trustee and a member of the initial project group.

Foundation director Kate Kingdon said: “Annie was so instrumental in setting up the community foundation, she is a huge loss to us with the knowledge and experience that she put at our disposal and so we thought The Annie Bell Fund would be a fantastic way to continue the work that she had started.

“Her family were clear that the fund should support groups that were perhaps not the most popular causes but are just as important in the community.”

The foundation works on behalf of a variety of donors, whether individual, company or statutory, to support community and voluntary activity in Norfolk. Mrs Bell played a vital role in the development of its robust grant-making processes

It is proposed that The Annie Bell Fund will make its first awards in September 2006 with the Norfolk Community Foundation undertaking all management and admin-istration of the fund in accordance with the best practice which Mrs Bell was so instrumental in developing.

Her family will be involved in making the awards.

The Annie Bell Fund will be launched at the memorial service, which starts at 2.15pm with the retiring collection from the occasion in aid of the fund.

Norfolk Community Found-ation is a registered charity dedicated to strengthening the community, through: creating a £10m endowment fund by 2015 from which grants can be made to vulnerable local community groups; acting as a vital link between local donors and local needs; managing funds on behalf of many donors; offering grant-giving skills to ensure that good projects are funded through the most appropriate channels.

For further information, contact the foundation on 01603 882138 or visit www.norfolkfoundation.com.