She has never married and has no children, but Jane Ritchie is passionate about improving the chances of students in the region... and is using her inheritance to do it. She talks to Sharon Griffiths.

WHEN Jane Ritchie came into a large and unexpected inheritance, she knew exactly what she was going to do with her money. Not for her the empty pleasures of extravagant holidays, expensive treats or a life of idleness. No. Instead she is using the money - via a charitable trust - to establish an industrial learning centre for students in County Durham.

"When you come into money unexpectedly, I feel you should do something useful with it," she says firmly.

She recalls many of the individual children she dealt with over the years. "So many lovely children who deserve a better chance."

Forging links between schools and industry has taken up a huge chunk of Jane Ritchie's life. After a Cambridge degree (geography, archaeology and anthropology) she was at first a careers adviser and then, until her retirement at the end of last year, was Partnership Manager of the County Durham Business and Learning Partnership.

"So many children are bored at school because they cannot see any connection between what they're learning there and what they will need in the real world of work. So many employers say children don't have the skills they need. It seems to make sense to bring the two together," says Miss Ritchie.

Her belief in the potential of County Durham's children is passionate. "We must give them the skills they need, not only to prevent this becoming being a third class region, but for their own aspirations and self-esteem. They must feel they are capable of making a difference," she asserts.

The trouble is that schools cannot really provide the broad range of vocational training needed. Some major employers are helpful and involved, but most businesses are small and there is a limit to how many schoolchildren they can take under their wing. Many well-intentioned schemes to boost science, maths and technology skills have foundered on the rocks of funding or altered initiatives.

The answer, says Miss Ritchie, is an industrial learning centre which will work with schools and employers to provide realistic and relevant training for 14-19 year olds. And her charity will pay a substantial chunk of the initial costs.

The plans for the proposed centre - on the old stock car racing car park at Newton Aycliffe - spill over her kitchen table in her Wensleydale home.

Although she was brought up in London, the family has strong links to North Yorkshire. Her father's grandfather founded the Swaledale and Wensleydale Bank. Her mother's family gave the village school to West Burton. A belief in charity and education runs strongly through the family.

But forget any overtones of dull worthiness. Above all, Jane Ritchie wants the learning centre to be exciting - cutting edge, state-of-the-art, capable of enthusing its students.

"They deserve something new and shiny, somewhere they'll enjoy coming. They'll probably think of a better name for it too. Quite rightly. I want it to be theirs," she says.

The plans show infinitely flexible spaces, workshops, studios, rooms that can be transformed into imitation work places, even replica hospital wards with volunteers acting the role of demanding patients. "As close to the world of work as possible," says Miss Ritchie.

She has battled for years to achieve this, wending a tortuous way through funding bids and committees, with, as one report observes "endless patience and fortitude".

"One of the real difficulties is that you're besought to be enterprising, then when you are, they say it's too risky..."

So when the inheritance came from Cousin Margery, it was the answer to her prayers.

But there are other problems... great crested newts for a start. They've moved into the ponds on the old car park and nothing can start until they are safely dealt with. Nothing so simple as putting them in a jam jar and tipping them in somewhere else.

"We have pages and pages of newt mitigation strategy," she says, with a strong dash of that "endless patience and fortitude".

Jane Other Ritchie - the "Other" to distinguish her from another branch of the family - was awarded the MBE for her services to business and education links. She chose not to go to Buckingham Palace to see the Queen, or even anywhere grand in North Yorkshire. Instead Lord Crathorne, Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire came to her and the investiture took place in the unexpected setting of Brentwood Lodge care home in Leyburn.

"I felt that way Margery was involved and it was much more fun than being part of a production line in London. It was a good occasion and the kitchen ladies had their photograph taken with Lord Crathorne. A far more enjoyable occasion," she says.

Having established the Elm House Trust charity with the legacy - other grants have gone to the Citizen's Advice Bureau in Leyburn, the air ambulance and an orchestra in Ripon - Jane Ritchie did allow herself some small treats. "I bought a new hat for wedding and a rhubarb forcer because I love rhubarb."

And that, it seems, was the sum of her personal extravagance.

When she retired just before Christmas, she asked that her leaving present should be not for herself but a contribution towards china and cutlery for the centre when it's built. "The money's sitting there, waiting of the students to choose what they like," she says.

Miss Ritchie is now saved the long drive from Wensleydale to Ferryhill each day but is no less busy.

Even if the newts are safely moved on, planning permission given, building erected, there is still the problem of the running costs. To keep the centre at the cutting edge will take more money, more determination, more sponsorship from businesses who will reap the rewards of a better trained workforce. But Jane Ritchie is determined to see the job through,

"I have not married. I have no children of my own. This is my way of handing something on to the future."