Concert for Diana raises £150,000 for Leprosy Mission

The work of the Leprosy Mission in England and Wales is set for a boost after it was announced that the charity would be receiving £150,000 from the proceeds of the Concert for Diana.

The star-studded concert was put on in July by Diana's sons, Princes William and Harry, as a celebration of their mother's life on what would have been her 46th birthday.

A massive £1.2 million was raised been by the concert which will now be shared out to eight charities, including The Leprosy Mission.

Diana was patron of The Leprosy Mission from 1990 until the time of her death in 1997 and during that time, she visited hospitals and touched patients to help remove the stigma attached to leprosy.

Keith Nicholson, Acting National Director of The Leprosy Mission, said: "We are absolutely delighted with this news. An amount of £150,000 will mean that an enormous number of people can be cured of leprosy and not suffer the stigma all too often associated with the disease.

"Now that we know the amount involved we will be looking at funding a specific project which will make a significant different to the lives of many people affected by leprosy."

The Leprosy Mission will also benefit from the proceeds of the concert DVD which is due to go on sale in shops on 5 November 2007.

Princess Diana died on 31 August 1997, along with her boyfriend Dodi Fayed and their driver when their Mercedes crashed inside the Pont d'Alma tunnel in Paris with media photographers in close pursuit.

More than 60,000 people packed London's Wembley Arena on 1 July to honour Diana's life and to hear stars such as Joss Stone, Take That and Rod Stewart.