It was meant to be a day celebrating the work of one of Leicestershire's best-known charities.

But it was overshadowed by the death of the organisation's "caring, warm and fantastic" founder.

Nicholas Corah, 78, was due to be the guest of honour at an event to mark Leicestershire Cares' 10th anniversary yesterday.

But shocked organisers learned on Wednesday that the president and founder of the charity had died in a car crash while travelling back to the county.

The event yesterday, at Braunstone Leisure Centre, in Leicester, offered homeless people a chance to find out about help they can get from charities and local authorities.

Monica Kimche is director of Leicestershire Cares, which Mr Corah set up to encourage companies to provide staff to carry out charitable work.

She said: "When I spoke to him last Friday, he was thrilled and excited to be coming.

"He was immensely proud of all the things the charity had done and he was really looking forward to mingling with homeless people who had benefited from our help.

"We feel such a deep sense of shock and sadness.

"It's a tragic loss to everyone who knew him because of his vitality, warmth and dynamism.

"We're going to carry on in his memory."

She said a minute's silence would be held in memory of Mr Corah at a dinner in October to mark the charity's anniversary.

Mr Corah – who had been chairman of textiles firm Corah, in Burleys Way, in Leicester, for 20 years – was also due to attend the unveiling of a sculpture to commemorate Leicester's hosiery industry, in New Walk, yesterday.

Mark Dunkley, trustee of Friends of New Walk, which commissioned the sculpture, said: "We learned of his death with great sadness."

Mr Corah was the last High Sheriff of the merged county of Leicestershire and Rutland, as well as a deputy lieutenant of Leicestershire and then Rutland.

Laurence Howard, the present Lord Lieutenant of Rutland, was a friend of Mr Corah for more than 20 years.

He said there were "few lives" in the two counties which had not been touched by his "generous spirit".

Mr Howard added: "If he set out to do something he would achieve it and he raised huge amounts of money for charitable causes.

"He was also a lovely man and was very well-known and liked."

He said that his thoughts were with Mr Corah's wife, Penny, and family.

Mr Corah headed a team which raised millions of pounds for the University of Leicester – where he served as pro-chancellor from 2004 to 2008 and received an honorary degree of doctor of laws in 2008.

Professor Sir Robert Burgess, vice-chancellor of the University of Leicester, said his death was a "tremendous loss".

He said: "I admired him greatly for his energy, commitment and enthusiasm for the work of the university, of which he was a tireless supporter."

It emerged yesterday that many people were hoping that Mr Corah, who was awarded an OBE in 2002, would be knighted in the near future in recognition of his business career and charity work.

Stephen Woolfe, chairman of the Heart of the National Forest Foundation – a role Mr Corah previously held – said around 30 people had recently written letters of recommendation for Mr Corah to receive the honour.

He said: "Many people felt he really deserved recognition for all he has done over the years."

Mr Corah moved to Norfolk three years ago and was living in Burnham Market, where locals spoke fondly of him.

Mr Corah's maroon BMW was involved in a collision with a white Scania articulated lorry in Whitwell Road, in Empingham, Rutland, at about 9.15am on Wednesday.

Anyone who saw the collision is asked to call Leicestershire Police on 0116 222 2222.