TOGETHER they have dedicated time to raise much needed money for cancer patients and their families.Between them Bert and Maureen Collins have provided 66 years of tireless service for Macmillan Cancer support.

TOGETHER they have dedicated time to raise much needed money for cancer patients and their families.

Between them Bert and Maureen Collins have provided 66 years of tireless service for Macmillan Cancer support.

And last week Mr and Mrs Collins were among the members of the Great Yarmouth committee honoured at the charity's Norfolk awards ceremony.

Both received the Richard Hambro Award for exceptional leadership and platinum long service awards at the event hosted by TV presenter Clare Weller.

Gorleston county and borough councillor Mr Collins has been committee chairman for the last 26 years and Mrs Collins the secretary for 40 years.

Mrs Collins said: “The very thing that always inspires me to keep on fundraising is when I hear people say 'I do not know what I would have done without the Macmillan nurse.' The Macmillan nurses really are marvellous people.”

Among the events organised by the committee are fundraising balls at Gorleston's Ocean Room and Great Yarmouth Racecourse, sponsored walks and the famous Macmillan coffee mornings.

More than �300,000 has been raised in the last 15 years - �35,000 last year, to provide specialist nursing for cancer sufferers and grants to ease financial burdens.

Other committee members receiving long service awards were Jenny Liddlement (platinum), Enid Fitzgerald (silver), Lyn Nicholls (platinum) and Janet Laxon (silver).

In total, 120 volunteers from across the county were given awards during the ceremony at Barnham Broom Hotel, near Norwich.