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A woman from Cottingham who died last year has left £1.3m to the village and region she adored.

Through the gift of Audrey Mosey, who passed away on the January 6 last year at the age of 91, the I Am Fund has been created and will provide £1.3m to charitable organisations throughout the region.

Specifically, it will help performing arts groups, charities, schools and social enterprises across Hull and East Yorkshire.

Audrey set out in her will that she wanted a large part of her estate to be used for good causes in our area.

Her goodwill will now go on to help thousands of people through the creation of a new fund named in her honour - the I Audrey Mosey Fund (also known as the I Am Fund).

The fund will provide investment in the performing arts helping young people in Hull and East Yorkshire realise their potential, enhancing venues and giving them access to experiences and learning. The fund will be managed by the Hull and East Yorkshire Smile Foundation (HEY Smile).

Audrey's legacy was officially launched at the Northern Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA) in Hull on Monday, October 28.

Pauline Lindop, a close friend of Audrey's and executor of her estate and part-founder of the premise of the I Am Fund, said: "I was not surprised by Audrey's generosity in leaving such an incredible sum of money to be invested in good causes across the area, because that was her nature.

"It was a daunting challenge at first, knowing I was going to need to play a part in something so important, but also felt incredibly honoured and excited by the prospect."

Audrey had also left a number of donations to specific charities, including Dove House Hospice and the local branch of the RSPCA.

Ms Lindop and other members of the fund will now work with Smile and Gosschalks Solicitors to run the charity.

Ms Lindop added: "I realised very quickly that it is a huge responsibility and something to which I am not extremely grateful to Smile and to Paul Mounce from Gosschalks Solicitors for their guidance and expertise.

"They have guided and helped me to establish the fund and we have clear aims about how we can meet the needs of the community and, importantly, support those pursuing Audrey's own passions including dance, and for that I am extremely grateful."

(Image: HEY Smile)

Pauline met Audrey through her mother, who owned Gwendoline Drury Solicitors in Cottingham and who took care of Audrey. Audrey soon became more than a client and was a close friend, and then the same of Pauline.

Through them, she then met Paul Mounce of Gosschalks Solicitors who said Audrey was a wonderful person to be around. He first met her around four or five years ago.

He said: "Her partner of 40 years passed away and she started inviting Pauline's mother around for tea and she started taking her for hospital appointments.

"When Pauline's mother got poorly and passed away she took on the role and I came about as she said, 'I've got this client, don't book another appointment for the afternoon, she makes good chat and that was it. We became friends too.

"She had more money than she realised but lived in a modest house and lived a frugal life. Pauline was given the task of administering the estate and asked me to help her. Pauline thought we should support performing arts with Audrey's legacy because Audrey wanted to do that. She didn't stop performing and did amateur dramatics."

Charities and organisations will be able to apply for the funding, and Mr Mounce they have already had an application and enquiry since the fund's launch on Monday.

He added: "She was really lovely and this amazing character. She would chat to you about everything and had some really funny stories that I won't repeat.

"She would have liked seeing this come to fruition and Pauline has done a really good job doing something in her memory and her honour and something that she would enjoy."

Andrew Barber, chief executive of Smile said: "Audrey's legacy will go on to help thousands of people for many years to come, improving the local community inspiring the talented and investing in those organisations who provide platforms for individuals and communities to shine.

"This is a hugely significant donation for Smile and importantly for the community of Hull and East Yorkshire. Audrey and Pauline have entrusted us to ensure these funds have a lasting impact and that is not something that I or my trustees take lightly.

"We believe that these funds can unlock further potential, for example in the form of match funding from other partners or underwriting of potential larger projects to be established in the future.

"We are working closely with leading local arts individuals and ambassadors such as Vincent Regan based in Beverley and Michael Jibson and Andrew Pearson who are equally invested to ensure we always make informed decisions when we bring together the grant panel for the I Am Fund each quarter.

"Gifts in wills such as a generous donation from Audrey Mosey is an area that we (Smile) and our friends Gosschalks Solicitors are investing in from 2020, helping local charities to highlight the difference leaving a gift to them can make. We hope that this gift is seen as a catalyst for greater local giving in the future."

The donation that created the I Am Fund was given in the form of a legacy. Latest national statistics show that more than £2.8bn was left to charities through gifts in wills in 2018 but that the majority of these were left to larger national charities.

HEY Smile Foundation are encouraging organisations to register their interest in applying for support from the I AM Fund via their website here or by contacting their team on iamfund@heysmilefoundation.org or 01482 590270.

Follow all the latest news by Sophie Corcoran Sophie Corcoran is a reporter for Hull Live and the Hull Daily Mail. Her interests include positive news, news about homelessness, court news and breaking news. You can follow all the latest stories on her Facebook page here , her Twitter page here or on the Hull Live website here. You can also call her on 01482 315174 or email sophie.corcoran@reachplc.com

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