A VOLUNTEER who has helped raise thousands of pounds for the RNLI in Helensburgh has laid down her collecting cans for the final time.

Wendy Lightoller has retired from the town's branch of the RNLI fundraising committee after 34 years of work raising funds to support the town's lifeboat crew.

To mark this special occasion and tremendous achievement, the fundraising team held a surprise tea at Ardardan Estate, near Cardross, to bid Wendy a fond farewell.

The dedicated volunteer, who is preparing to move south with her husband, was presented with a hamper full of Scottish treats and a bunch of flowers as a token of the branch's gratitude.

During her time on the committee, Wendy was involved in many fundraising activities, from coffee mornings, street collections, curry suppers and much more.

Wendy has helped raise thousands of pounds for the RNLI HelensburghWendy has helped raise thousands of pounds for the RNLI Helensburgh (Image: RNLI Helensburgh)

She has helped to raise thousands of pounds since 1990 to help maintain the lifeboat and to train and equip the crew to help them save lives at sea.

Howard Morrison, chair of the Helensburgh lifeboat's management committee and local lifeboat operations manager, said: “A huge thank you to Wendy for her hard work, time and commitment over so many years.

"We are very grateful to her and the fundraising team for their support in raising money for the RNLI, Helensburgh lifeboat and the crew.”

The local fund-raising branch's busy events calendar, in the last few months alone, has included a 'families fun day' at Helensburgh Sailing Club, an antiques valuation day at the same venue, a poster competition for local primary school children, and a 'Mayday Mile' challenge.

Two members of the local crew, Neil Petrie and Tom Ridskill, represented the Helensburgh lifeboat station at a special service of thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey in March to mark the charity's 200 years saving lives around the coastline of Great Britain and Ireland.

Helensburgh's lifeboat station was founded in 1965, and has been called out nearly 2,000 times since then in response to emergencies at sea.

Among its most notable callouts was the stormy night in January 1974 when it rushed to the aid of the crew of MV Captayannis, which sank between Greenock and Helensburgh after it collided with the anchor chains of a BP oil tanker, which ripped a hole in the vessel's hull.

The Captayannis was carrying a cargo of sugar, to be delivered to Greenock; the hull came to rest on a sandbank and, 50 years on, remains visible today on both sides of the Firth, where it's known simply as 'the sugar boat'.

Anyone interested in volunteering with the RNLI Helensburgh fundraising events team are asked to email Penny at penny_french@btinternet.com.