A DORSET funeral director has donated more than £4,500 to a mental health charity in the county.

Douch Family Funeral Directors, which has seven branches in east Dorset, presented a cheque of more than £4,516 to its 2022 charity of the year – WillDoes.

The charity is dedicated to the memory of Dorset teenager Will Paddy, who took his life in 2019 aged just 14.

His mum Lesley launched the good cause to help young people who find life tough or are struggling to cope.

Since it began in December 2019 the charity has raised nearly £300,000 and has converted a double-decker bus into a mobile youth club.

This operates in Weymouth and Portland but in future Ms Paddy hopes to run it across Dorset.

She was presented with the cheque by staff at Douch Family Funeral Directors’ Swanage branch, James Smith. 

Ms Paddy said: “We are so grateful to the business for choosing us to be its charity of the year.

“One of the major things we have done is to buy and convert the community bus.

“Being mobile it can of course go to the places where the young people are, which makes it easier for them to access the help offered.

“We also make charitable donations to other charities and individuals which help young people with mental wellbeing through activities.”