Friends give £6,000 to causes in Shrewsbury Jo's memory

Jo had devoted her life to campaigning against social injustice, was a founder member of Shrewsbury Traidcraft, a reader at her local church and a big supporter of Christian Aid.

She lobbied governments around the world and guided through the schools programme for One World Week.

She also worked as a leader of Churches Together in Shrewsbury and became a lay reader at her local church of St Giles in 2000.

Yet, even in death, Jo has carried on giving. At her funeral last November, which was attended by more than 500 people, £6,000 was raised. And now the money has been divided between the charities she worked for.

Her husband Ken, who she married in 1970 after meeting while they were both pupils at Redditch County High, said: "We raised a magnificent £6,000 in her memory at the funeral at St Giles, which was packed out, over 500 we know of, standing room only and some people outside throughout the service.

"The monies have been divided 50/50 between Christian Aid and Traidcraft Exchange, the charitable wing of Traidcraft.

"Jo would have approved of what we have done. She did anything she could to publicise Fairtrade and Christian Aid. She even had Fairtrade flowers on her coffin at the funeral and I know she would have been delighted with the amount of money raised."

Ken presented the cheque to Mags Vaughan, chief executive of Traidcraft – who travelled to Shrewsbury from Gateshead yesterday with her colleague Suzanne Whittingham – at the Shrewsbury Fair Trade Shop on St John's Hill.

Ms Vaughan said: "The £3,000 kindly donated to Traidcraft Exchange in memory of Jo will help to ensure that Traidcraft's vital work in the developing world continues. It will be directed towards special projects overseas that Jo cared so passionately about, helping groups improve their ability to gain access to market as well as develop their skills to grow more hardy crops."