Southern Daily Echo Editor in Chief Ian Murray was on hand to present a cheque for £10,000 to the Journalists’ Charity at a reception held at the House of Lords.

The donation was raised by the Society of Editors and included monies donated at events during Ian’s year as President of the Society, including the Annual Conference and Gala Dinner held at Southampton’s Grand Harbour Hotel.

Ian presented the cheque with his successor Doug Wills, managing editor at the Evening Standard and Independent newspapers, to Lord Black of Brentwood, Executive Director of the Telegraph Media Group, representing the charity.

A donation of £10,000 was also received from the Gannett Foundation. Gannett are the ultimate parent company of the Southern Daily Echo.

Other donations brought the amount presented on the night to £80,000.

The reception marked the end of the charity’s 150th anniversary celebrations that have included a reception attended by The Queen.

The Journalists’ Charity was created in 1864 when one of its founders was Charles Dickens.

The charity provides emergency grants to journalists who find themselves in difficult times, including those suffering from ill health, accident victims and those without work.

The charity owns and runs retirement and care homes.

Charity chairman Laurie Upshon thanked all those who had supported the charity during the anniversary year, including sponsors Goole and Lydl.

Laurie pointed out that the total of £80,000 in donations received during the evening only covered half of the emergency grants handed out during 2014.

For more details visit journalistscharity.org.uk