MORE than £880 has been raised in memory of the man who helped Haltwhistle forge links with Italy.

Malcolm Todd, who served as chairman of Haltwhistle Town Twinning Association for five years, died last December at the age of 61.

His death came a year after Malcolm, who lived at Coanwood, was diagnosed with Multiple System Atrophy, a rare chronic neuro degenerative disease.

Townsfolk rallied around to organise a coffee morning in April at the Methodist Hall on Westgate, raising £883, with the money being shared equally between the Multiple System Atrophy Trust; and the Friends of Murambinda Hospital in Zimbabwe.

Malcolm and his wife Helen both spent two years working at the hospital in the 1980s.

Helen expressed her appreciation to Joan Short, Richard Weir, and other people who helped to ensure the coffee morning was a success.

Born in Bradford, Malcolm served as a schoolteacher, and also carried out voluntary work.

After moving to South Tynedale in 1999, he went on to become chairman of the town twinning association.

Complementing the town‘s long-established link with French town St Meen Le Grand, Malcolm was instrumental in forming what is now a three-way exchange, involving the Italian town of Valentano.