Foundation to remember presenter who died of coronavirus

Julie Donaldson started her career at BBC Radio Tees and worked more recently at Zetland FM

A foundation to help young people get a foot on the ladder in the arts and radio industries has been set up in the memory of a late presenter.

Julie Donaldson died a year ago after being admitted to hospital with coronavirus.

The 50-year-old began her career as a reporter on BBC Radio Tees and went on to present Saturday Breakfast.

Her husband John Proudler said: "The foundation is going to be a way of helping people."

Julie was also the morning presenter on Zetland FM in Redcar and appeared in the TV series The Mighty Redcar.

She died at Middlesbrough's James Cook Hospital in October 2020 after being in intensive care for three weeks.

Mr Proudler said he did not realise how many things his wife was involved in away from her job on air.

"She'd say something like 'I'll be a little late tomorrow as I'm seeing so and so for coffee' but it was usually a way of helping someone else," he said.

Mr Proudler collected a posthumous outstanding contribution award on behalf of Julie at the Tees Businesswomen Awards in January.

He found out about her work helping others while looking through some of her old notebooks, and realised her passion lay with helping young people get practical help with a career in the arts, music or radio.

Mr Proudler said: "She worked with an awful lot of organisations and individuals, it's been a tough 18 months for everyone but even harder if you're trying to get a first gig or an exhibition."