A MAN who worked tirelessly to see a Worcester charity through hard times has died, aged 66.

Mike Irish, well-known businessman and chairman of trustees for the children’s bereavment charity Noah’s Ark Trust, died following a short illness on Wednesday.

His funeral will take place at Our Lady and St Alphonsus Roman Catholic Church in Hanley Swan, near Worcester, at noon on Friday, December 3.

Mr Irish, who lived in Malvern, began supporting Noah’s Ark in 2002 after his wife Mary became a fund-raiser.

He was an ardant supporter of the trust, which helps bereaved children free of charge.

It was a cause close to his heart, having lost his daughter Elaine when she was just 10 years old.

Gabby Meadows, chief executive of the trust, said: “We are all terribly upset. Mike will be greatly missed.

"For me personally, he was a wonderful chair of trustees and I’ll miss him so much.

“He moved the charity on through hard times and helped us support more than 1,000 children.

“All of our thoughts are with his family.”

Well-known across the city, Mr Irish was involved in Worcester’s Brooklyn Motors car dealership up until 2009.

A full obituary will appear in your Worcester News next week.

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