A BIG-HEARTED councillor has donated more than £300 to a Witham-based charity to help keep residents warm this winter.

Angela Kilmartin, councillor for Central Ward Witham at Braintree Council, made the donation to the Essex Knitters and Stitchers charity.

The charity, which meats up regularly at the Witham library, is knitting warm items for the winter months and usually knits items for other local charities.

Previously, the charity has also donated 177 blankets and nearly 300 hats, scarves and gloves as well as 20 teddy bears to the people of Ukraine.

The group meets in the library on the first Wednesday of every month and is currently preparing warm items for sale in the library and town hall.

With the visit from Mrs Kilmartin, the councillor used £340 of her annual community grant funding from Braintree Council to buy wool for the charity.

Wendy Morrissey, the Essex coordinator of Essex Knitters and Stitchers was over the moon with the donation.

She said: "We are very grateful to councillor Kilmartin for this really helpful grant which is being put to good use in time for colder weather.”