JENNIFER White is being given a lifeline today.

The 45-year-old, of Earlsdon, was yesterday preparing to undergo a life-saving kidney transplant operation thanks to her brother Clive Slater.

Clive, aged 48, has flown to the city from his home in Ireland to give his younger sister the gift of life she desperately needed.

Telegraph readers have been following her story as she counted down to the big day, documenting her daily struggles with chronic renal failure.

They featured her constant battle with tiredness, one of the side-effects of her condition, but her determination to remain upbeat came through her entry for each day.

Speaking from her hospital bed, Jennifer said: "I feel perky and positive.

"I've known about this day for a year, so I've had time to prepare, although it feels really surreal that it's about to happen."

Thanks to her brother's generosity, Jennifer knew the date of her transplant operation, but thousands of people across the country don't have that luxury.

Jennifer has received two kidney transplants in the past after she was diagnosed with lupus.

The first took place in 1994, but only lasted two weeks.

The second was in 1999 and gave her nearly 10 years of "normal" life before it failed and it was back to square one again.

In between waiting for both kidneys, she endured a demanding course of dialysis to rid her blood of harmful toxins.

Determined she wouldn't go through dialysis again, her brother Clive offered to be a live donor.

These include drumming, guitars, bell ringing, sculpture, painting and a variety of crafts for
all ages.

Watch, listen and join in. The events take place both in the church and churchyard, from 2pm until 4.30pm Free admission but donations welcome.

For more information contact Paul Payne 02476402017 or Lesley Grove on 76402067

A lively group of soloists and singers with a varied programme.

For more information contact Lesley Grove on 76402067

Led by Malcolm Evans and local musicians, this is for everyone who enjoys U2 type music, all ages.

For more information contact Lesley Grove 02476402067 or Malcolm Evans 02476269974

City council chiefs met yesterday to give the green light to ambitious plans for the War Memorial Park, triggering huge improvements for the memorial, gardens, paths, tennis courts, and playing fields.

The next workshops cover Managing Money and Making a Profit on June 2 and Maximising Efficiency and Profitability Through People on June 9, from 9.30am to noon, at The Windmill Village Hotel, Birmingham Road, Allesley.

VANDALS have hacked their way through a swathe of Coventry green belt with chainsaws and machetes.

Residents living near Coundon Wedge, an area of green fields and woodland, say their idyllic retreat is being trashed by yobs with dangerous weapons.

MORE Coventry venues than ever are supporting Fairtrade and stocking ethical goods.

Since achieving Fairtrade City status four years ago, more than 70 cafes, community groups and businesses in Coventry have signed up to stock ethically traded goods.

An annual celebration saw Lord Mayor Andy Matchett award certificates to Fairtrade supporters across the city, with five new enterprises joining the fold.

DRINKING buddies from Coventry will forgo their pints in favour of scaling three mountains in 24 hours for charity.

The six-strong team have been in training for weeks in preparation for the renowned Three Peaks Challenge in aid of the Telegraph's Snowball Appeal.

Darren McCartney, 40, Steve Lynas, 36, Dave Myles, 29, Pete Scott, 32 and Nick Rae, 41, will set off for the mammoth climb today.

A COVENTRY woman has pleaded guilty to fraud after being seized by bank staff as she tried to withdraw £1,000 with a stolen bank card.

A quick-thinking bank cashier chased Kelly Marie Newbold, of Collingwood Road, Earlsdon, after she attempted to steal the cash from the Halifax Bank in Warwick Road, Kenilworth.

She had been told there was insufficient funds in the account to withdraw £1,000 and so she had asked for the overdraft to be extended.

AN animal shelter in Coventry is over-run with unwanted pets that are being dumped because of the recession.

Hard-up local families want to ditch their cats, rabbits and guinea pigs because they can no longer afford to keep them.

Staff at the RSPCA centre in Allesley say it's the busiest it has ever been - and that it's all down to the economic downturn.

The get-together will be at the Standard Triumph Club in Tile Hill Lane on Thursday 7 May, starting at 7.30pm.

A team of 17 drummers from music college charity Nexus in Albany Road, Earlsdon, are
setting out on a 64 hour plus non stop drumming marathon called Drumathon D7, in an attempt to win back the world record they set 2 years ago, on Sunday May 3rd at 9am whilst raising money for the college rag week.

The team, where all drummers play for the entire duration, set the world record 2 years ago when they drummed for 52 hours non stop to over 500 songs and this time are attempting to drum along with 830 records to win back their title and the crown of World Endurance Drumming Team

TIGAR the tabby's become such a regular fixture at his local boozer that his owner picks him up every night in her car just before last orders.

Jill Etherington used to wonder where Tigar vanished to every evening but the mystery was unravelled when she started getting calls from Coventry pubs saying he was hanging out in the beer garden.

Jill's got so used to his nights out that she now drops by at the Farmhouse pub, in Beechwood Avenue, Earlsdon, to give him a lift home.

Alan, aged 40, from Broadway, will be running for the charity Maggie's Centres, which runs a network of drop-in help centres for cancer sufferers.