RNLI honours Dunbar fundraiser Fiona’s 25 years of service

Accountant Fiona first became involved with the charity that saves lives at sea when then committee treasurer Morag Hastie asked her to verify the accounts. When Morag retired she asked Fiona to take on the role – and it’s one she has performed admirably ever since.

Fiona said: ‘‘I was happy to get involved because the RNLI was the charity of choice for my husband William’s family, who were fishing folk from Fisherrow. His father and his mother’s family were involved in fishing. His aunts were fishwives and, in fact, one of the skiffs at Musselburgh (built by members of Eskmuthe Rowing Club) is called Steedie Falconer, after William’s aunt who was one of the last fishwives in Musselburgh.’

Originally from Wallyford, Fiona worked as an accountant for Chiene and Tait in Edinburgh before retiring in 2018 and has lived in Dunbar for 32 years with husband William, a retired civil servant. Her role on the committee involves banking and reconciling all the donations raised through fundraising events, including the hugely successful annual Lifeboat Fete, held every July.

She said: ‘It has been very rewarding and I have been amazed by the community’s support for their local lifeboat. The support we get for every “Lifeboat Day” and, in fact, for every fundraising event is absolutely amazing. And I’m grateful to all the other people involved with fundraising who make my job easier, for instance, those who empty the donation cash boxes and do the banking, plus the help I get from those at the shop and Gerard, the Dunbar Lifeboat Station treasurer. And it’s always good to have that relationship we enjoy with the crew. As the RNLI says, we are all one crew in Dunbar.’

Veronica Davies, chair of the Fundraising Committee, said: ‘I want to thank Fiona for everything she does for the fundraising committee and the station as a whole. She is a very valuable member of the committee and the team.’

Presenting Fiona with a badge marking her years of service and a lifeboat paperweight, RNLI fundraising community manager Spencer Harris said: ‘These awards are a great way of thanking volunteers. The role you do can be very tough to make sure everything tallies with the accounts and involves speaking to people in the community, making sure everything is done properly, so a huge thank you, Fiona, for everything you do.’

Notes to editors

· Established in 1808, 16 years before the formation of the RNLI, Dunbar Lifeboat Station is one of the oldest in Scotland and is located on the south side of the mouth of the Firth of Forth.

· Since its formation, its volunteer crews have been honoured with 12 awards for gallantry.

· It operates two lifeboats – the Trent class all-weather lifeboat (ALB) John Neville Taylor, moored at Torness Power Station, and the D-class inshore lifeboat (ILB) David Lauder, which launches from Dunbar Harbour.

· A file photo of Dunbar’s lifeboats can be viewed here.

RNLI media contacts

Douglas Wight, Dunbar RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer, [email protected]

Alexander Williams, Dunbar RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer [email protected]

Richard Smith, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for Scotland, 07826 900639, [email protected]

Martin Macnamara, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for Scotland, 07920 365929, [email protected]

RNLI Press Office (available 24 hours) 01202 336789 [email protected]

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,700 lives.

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