MND: Cheltenham choir leader raises thousands after woman's death

Caroline Edwards (second from the right) said she met Clare Dunkel (centre) at choir practice

A "determined" choir director has fundraised almost £50,000 for a motor neurone disease charity.

Caroline Edwards was prompted to act after former Are You Being Served? actress Clare Dunkel - who sang with the Cheltenham choir - died from the condition aged 59 in July 2021.

Mrs Edwards has since raised £48,014 for the MND Association by running the London Marathon and by choir events.

She said she was "shocked" at how quickly Ms Dunkel deteriorated.

Ms Dunkel - who also wrote crime thrillers under pen name Mo Hayder - was diagnosed with the degenerative condition in December 2020.

There is no cure for the disease - which affects the brain and nerves - but there are treatments to help reduce the impact it has on a person's daily life, the NHS explains.

Sadly, the crime writer's condition progressed at an "alarming rate" and she died in Cheltenham within eight months of her diagnosis.

Clare Dunkel died from the illness in 2021

Mrs Edwards said: "Clare joined our choir four years ago. We got to know each other really well.

"She lost her life to motor neurone disease so quickly, it was shocking."

She said her friend Julia Owen helped her put on a charity supper and song event during which the choir sang some songs they had sung with Clare.

"Jon and I then ran the London Marathon for charity.

"If you join forces you can make some kind of impact. Every single person I asked to get on board with this has contributed," she added.

Caroline Edwards ran the London Marathon with her husband Jon Edwards to help raise more money for charity

MND Association south-west fundraiser lead Helen Mackie said Mrs Edwards "galvanised so much support" from the people around her.

"She even convinced one of her choir friends to do a wing walk for charity. One of the most amazing and determined people to work with," she said.

"Hopefully with the support we get closer to that cure for treatment so that other families don't have to face the cruel disease the MND is," she added.