A DEDICATED fund-raiser who has raised millions of pounds for charity is taking up a post in the Cotswolds.

Jo Mitchell is due to take up the role as executive director of the SMA Trust, in Compton Scorpion, near Shipston, which funds research into spinal muscular atrophy.

The 54-year-old, who lives in Broadwell, near Stow, has spent the last eight years working as head of fundraising at children’s respite hospice Helen and Douglas House, in Oxford.

Mrs Mitchell said it was an exciting time to join the charity. “Of all the genetic life-shortening children’s conditions, they reckon this is the nearest to a cure,” she said. “It’s a really exciting time. The next five to 10 years are going to be a really crucial time.”

Mrs Mitchell is a mother herself with two grown-up children but also lost two babies, one aged three days and one three weeks, who were born very prematurely and never left hospital.

“Having lost two babies myself at a very young age I’ve really felt a very close empathy with some of the parents, which is why my next job is also going to be working with families who are having to deal with series illness or a death of a child at a young age.

“I think I can only work for a charity that’s supporting people in that area.”

Mrs Mitchell was due to start her new job on Monday.