HUNDREDS of pounds were raised for two news trade charities at a special dinner to mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Dickens in Hampshire.

NewstrAid and the NFRN benefited from support by local news agents as well as the Southern Daily Echo and Portsmouth News from the dinner held at the Hilton Hotel in Portsmouth.

Charles Dickens was a founder of NewstrAid – known affectionately as the Old Ben – after the famous writer began his career as a journalist.

The event included readings from Dickens’ works by his great great-grandson Adam Dickens.