ONE of the biggest fundraisers in Dunbar RNLI’s calendar is making a public return for the first time in three years.

The Dunbar RNLI Lifeboat Day has been sidelined since 2019 due to the Covid-19 pandemic but is back this Saturday.

Ellen Mackay, daughter of second coxswain Gordon Mackay, has been selected as this year’s lifeboat queen.

Fifteen-year-old Ellen, who was previously an attendant and flower girl, follows in the footsteps of her older sister Beth, who was lifeboat queen in 2018.

Her attendants are 11-year-old Lilly Hood, whose great-grandfather John Fairgrieve Sr served on the crew for 15 years and whose uncles are local fishermen; and Sophie Pirie, 12, whose dad Stuart served on the crew.

This year’s herald is 11-year-old Liam Coates, whose second cousin Ross McMullen has 20 years’ service on the crew.

Finally, flower girl Devyn Koch, five, is David Koch’s daughter.

'Very excited'

Veronica Davies, Dunbar lifeboat fundraising chairwoman, was delighted for the event to return.

She said: “We’re very excited to introduce our queen and court, and excited to be able to welcome back our wonderful supporters to the fete for the first time since the pandemic.”

The parade along High Street begins from the Hillside Hotel at 1.15pm, before the crowning of the queen takes place at 2pm.

Among the fun and games on dry land at the harbour will be a chance to meet the volunteer lifeboat crew and to step aboard and tour the all-weather lifeboat.

Entertainment will be provided by the Strictly for the Lifeboats dancers and live music from Barnstorm and Brodie Beveridge.

Vintage cars and Harley Davidson motorbikes will be on show and there will be numerous stalls to browse, as well as archery and a birds of prey stand.

There will also be a bar, complete with cocktails which proved such a hit back in 2019.

A funfair also takes place for the children.