A DEDICATED fundraiser who has helped raise hundreds of thousands of pounds has been honoured at a popular event.

Veronica Davies has been helping to collect funds for Dunbar’s RNLI for almost two decades.

On Saturday, the town gathered for the annual lifeboat day – the group’s biggest fundraiser of the year – and while the day would go on to collect thousands of pounds, Veronica was presented with a certificate to mark her own contribution.

Becs Miller, youth education manager with the RNLI, nominated Veronica for the award, which recognised her fundraising efforts over the years.

She said: “Veronica is a total powerhouse when it comes to fundraising.

“Despite being in very demanding full-time employment, Veronica dedicates a huge amount of time and energy into leading the fundraising team in Dunbar and is well known for her no-nonsense, pragmatic and fun attitude to all ventures.

“By taking an innovative approach, Veronica has injected new ideas into an extremely traditional fishing town and raised thousands by continually energising the team and driving performance to maximise the initiatives. For example, Strictly Dunbar raised over £8,000 alone last year and Veronica has worked incredibly hard to build on 2016. Never one to sit on her laurels, Veronica is always thinking about the next venture and how to make it happen.”

The certificate, which comes from the chairman and council of the RNLI, recognises her contribution to the RNLI and her “dedicated volunteering efforts” and was presented by Mark Lees, the station chairman.

Veronica told the Courier: “It was a shock. I did not know anything about it.

“It was quite hard to read my speech because my glasses were steaming up and my hands were shaking.

“I was overwhelmed that I had been nominated for such a special certificate.”

Warm sunshine and a host of star attractions helped to make this year’s event a huge success, including dancers from the hugely successful ‘Strictly for the Lifeboats’.

Already, preparations are under way for the third annual Strictly event.

Veronica said: “I want to thank everyone for all their amazing support, and to the sponsors, stall holders and businesses near and far. They all made it a fantastic day.”

Her connection to the harbour and the lifeboat goes back several generations, with her son, Rowan, also a member of the crew.

She first became involved with the RNLI in 1998, when she started collecting items for a tombola. Then, in 2004, she became the fundraising group’s secretary.

Four years later she became chairwoman and has since been involved in a number of different fundraisers.

She said: “I think the variety is key, the success of the fundraising is keeping it fresh.

“It was always coffee mornings, things like that; I felt the need to step it up and do something a bit different.”