A SANDYCROFT great grandmother has been honoured by the High Sheriff of Clwyd at a glittering 2018 Community Awards ceremony at Ruthin School, Denbighshire.

Ada June Davies, 85, was nominated for the award by Flintshire Local Voluntary Council (FLVC) in recognition of her tireless work at Sandycroft Community Centre and for more than 35 years of fundraising for cancer charities which has seen her raise more than £50,000.

June, as she prefers to be known, went along to the glittering ceremony with her daughter, Loraine Chester, who also lives in Sandycroft, but never expected to win an award.

She said: “Just being nominated was enough I never expected to be given an award. It was a lovely surprise and of course I’m very proud. The whole evening was lovely even if it was a bit of a shock.

“I have always tried to raise funds for cancer research as I lost my husband Frederick to cancer after 57 years of marriage. He was such a wonderful man and the best husband I could have wished for.

“But I also lost my dad to cancer when he was just 55 and a sister to breast cancer as well as brother-in-laws.”

June, who also has a daughter, Pauline, who lives in Bristol, says she began fundraising while on the Sandycroft Community Centre management team.

She said: “I set up a fundraising group and it just took off. I run bingo nights, on Monday and Wednesday evenings, which are very popular and a weekly lottery bonus ball draw which raises a good amount over a year.

“I also run other special events and collect donations. I also raise some funds for Macmillan Cancer Support. Cancer treatments are getting better but with more funds there is much more that could be done.

“I’m not going to stop fundraising and will carry on with the bingo nights as long as people enjoy them. I now have a lovely framed certificate from the awards evening which has taken pride of place on my sideboard.”

And June, who is a great grandmother to Maiya, five, and Isabella, two, and has two grandchildren, Stephen and Lianne, who also live in Sandycroft, added: “I have to thank Queensferry councillor David Wisinger who is very supportive. He even comes and supports my bingo nights.

“It was Cllr Wisinger who initially nominated me to FLVC. That was why I nominated for the High Sheriff of Clwyd’s Community Awards.”

Queensferry Labour county councillor David Wisinger attended the Community Awards evening at Ruthin School says he’s thrilled June received a community award.

He said: “June really deserves to be recognised for all the hard work she puts in at Sandycroft Community Centre and the fundraising she does for cancer charities. She is a remarkable woman who has raised a huge amount of money over more than 35 years.

“She may only raise small amounts at any one time but added together the money she raises will really help in the fight against cancer. June is a one off; I wish her all the best and know she will always continue her fundraising and community work.”