MONEY left by a wealthy widow, who died in 2008, is to help fund the refurbishment of Cheltenham's Everyman theatre.

Barbara Clarke left £700,000 to be split between good causes at the discretion of her trustees. For the past two years, they have been hunting for charities close to her heart.

When the Echo revealed the Everyman was close to reaching its £3 million fundraising target earlier this month, they immediately donated £20,000.

Trustee Simon Greener, of Davis Gregory solicitors, said: "We saw the story in the Echo about the Everyman's plans for refurbishment and felt this was something Mrs Clarke would have wanted to support."

Born in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, in March 1920, Mrs Clarke moved to London, where she met her husband, who went on to work for GCHQ. The pair moved to Cheltenham in the 1940s and never left. They no had children. At the time of her death, Mrs Clarke was living in Bournside Road.

Mr Greener recalled Mrs Clarke as a person with "a great sense of humour".

He said: "I met her a few times, but sadly our knowledge of her life is very sketchy.

"We know she worked for the Government for a while and that she had a niece on her husband's side.

"Having spoken to the niece, we know that whenever she visited her uncle in Cheltenham her aunt was always at the theatre. It appears Mrs Clarke loved the theatre in her early days, but declining health meant she was unable to attend in later life."

Mrs Clarke died in October 2008, aged 88. Other good causes to receive money from her estate included the Cheltenham Festival of Performing Arts, Sue Ryder Care, Midlands Air Ambulance and the Holst Birthplace Museum.

The Everyman's chief executive, Geoffrey Rowe, said: "We are delighted to receive such a substantial sum towards the restoration of the Everyman.

"The money is a big contribution and it's especially pleasing that she was a lady who regularly came to the theatre and enjoyed her visits.

"The donation will go towards the restoration fund, which will enable us to refurbish the theatre in September 2011."

The project will restore the plasterwork and fabric of the auditorium and improve the front-of-house areas. New seating, carpets and curtains will be added and the dress circle boxes brought back into use.

Associated with the restoration will be a three-year education and community programme, based on the Victorian period and the theatre's heritage.