A FORMER headteacher at Dunbar Grammar School and one of its former pupils were among the winners of prestigious awards in the town.
Each year, Dunbar Community Council recognises eminent individuals and groups in the town with special awards.
Will Collin, who taught at the school for nearly 20 years, received the Community Council Award, while former student Ryan Ferguson was awarded the Bowe Cup, which celebrates the efforts of a youngster in the town.
Dunbar Sea Cadets Adult Volunteers were presented with the Stephen Bunyan Award, which highlights the achievement of a team or group.
Graham Adams, vice-chairman of the community council, was delighted to hand out the three awards, alongside half a dozen citizen and junior citizen awards.
Traditionally, the awards have been presented in a special ceremony during Dunbar Civic Week. However, the coronavirus pandemic saw that changed to the awards being received at the end of the year.
Mr Adams said: “Covid-19 prevented us from celebrating the awards in the way we would have liked but we tried to make sure that every recipient felt just how much their personal, volunteer contribution to the community was appreciated.
“All recipients have given so much of their time, often over very many years, and it is an astonishing gift to Dunbar.”
As well as being the school’s headteacher, Mr Collin was a long-standing member of the town’s community council for more than two decades and also gave long service to the John Muir Birthplace Trust and Friends of John Muir’s Birthplace.
Meanwhile, Ryan has played a key role as a volunteer in the inter-generational project Dinner@DGS, which brings different generations together through a home-cooked meal.
He has developed a love of cooking and, as a modern apprentice, continues to volunteer, forming and sustaining positive relationships with the staff, older friends and volunteers of all ages.
Finally, Dunbar Sea Cadets volunteers have worked tirelessly throughout the Covid-19 pandemic to support and engage with all enrolled cadets.
A spokesperson for the community council added: “Their enthusiasm, skill and inspiration has led to a rapid but fully sustainable uptake of places and the Dunbar Sea Cadet unit now offers the unique sea cadet experience to more than 50 cadets.
“This volunteer commitment to the encouragement and advancement of young people in our community is inspirational.”
Three citizen awards and three junior citizen awards were also presented to members of the community.
George Robertson, former chairman of Dunbar Civic Week and the area’s local area partnership, was at the heart of the resilience efforts in the town throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
John Band is a former commodore of Dunbar Sailing Club and a founding member of Dunbar Harbour Trust. Mr Band is also a key member of the Dunbar Christmas Lights team, which works throughout the year to ensure the town is sparkling each festive season.
Finally, volunteers at Belhaven Community Garden and their community gardener have continued to provide opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to meet and exchange skills, while providing a resource for the hospital patients and wider community.
A junior citizen award was given to Dunbar Junior Hockey Club’s junior coaching team: Milly Green, Cara Maxwell and Catrin Smith.
Throughout the pandemic, the trio have given their time freely to coach the under-12s and to pass on their skills and knowledge to the under-14 players through training. All three young volunteers have been accepted onto the Scottish Hockey Leaders programme.
Finally, James Walker and Eric Peter Lawrence are committed and long-serving Sea Cadets. James was selected as Lord Lieutenant Cadet for Berwickshire, while Peter was selected in the same role for East Lothian.
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