£18m Barnardo's donation is largest in its history

Children's charity Barnardo's has been handed £18m in the largest single donation it has yet received.

The "extraordinary" donation will be used to create 45 homes for the charity's Gap Homes programme, which supports young people leaving care by providing them with suitable accommodation.

A third of the homes will be built in Lincolnshire, Birmingham and Glasgow, with locations for the other 30 still to be finalised.

The donation has been made by the Katherine Martin Charitable Trust, which was set up following the death of the 1920s racing driver who helped shape the Aston Martin brand.

The trust has supported the charity for more than 60 years, particularly in North East Lincolnshire and East Yorkshire.

Barnardo's chief executive Lynn Perry said: "This extraordinary donation from the Katherine Martin Charitable Trust is monumental for Barnardo's.

"We believe it's the largest single gift in the charity's history and it's hard to express just how much of an impact that will have for so many young people."

John Richards, chair of trustees at the charitable trust, said: "Katherine Martin was a remarkable woman who believed in the power of philanthropy to change lives.

"This significant donation is testament to her enduring legacy."

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