A DEDICATED fundraiser who has helped give a charity a big cash boost after it provided vital support to her family has been nominated for a Community Pride Award.

Sabine O’Dwyer, 46, of Tadcaster Road, York, has been nominated for Charity Fundraiser of the Year by her daughter Natasha Limbert.

Natasha, 24, suffered the heartbreak of losing her daughter Alexis aged just 16 days old in December 2015.

Since then, Sabine has helped Natasha and other members of the family raise about £7,000 for York Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society (SANDS), which supported the family after the death of Alexis.

Sabine is now a fundraising co-ordinator for York SANDS, based at York Hospital’s bereavement suite.

Natasha, also of Tadcaster Road, said: “I would like to nominate my mum for all the hard work she has done for York SANDS.

“After losing my daughter she has done her best not just to support me and my family but to help SANDS in any way possible as they have helped us.

“Due to her commitment and determination we have so far raised over £7,000 for them in only one year.”

She added: “She has been a rock for myself and a brilliant helper for York SANDS. She is helping others get involved in fundraising for them as well as organising events herself.”

Sabine said she was “shocked” to be nominated for an award.

Explaining why she raises funds for York SANDS, she added: “The charity provided fantastic support to us, they still provide support now. The reason I became a fundraising co-ordinator is that when we lost Alexis we were not offered a cuddle cot. Our world had fallen to pieces at that time.The family only got one hour and 20 minutes before she was taken to Newcastle for a post-mortem.”

The £7,000 raised for the charity will be used to pay for a cuddle cot for the A&E department at York Hospital. The cot looks like a conventional Moses Basket and regulates the baby’s temperature, allowing parents to keep their baby with them a little bit longer to say goodbye. he funds will also be used to refurbish the hospital’s bereavement suite.

The Community Pride Awards are run by The Press in partnership with City of York Council and the primary sponsor is York-based healthcare organisation Benenden. All nominees must live in, or contribute to life in, the City of York Council area.

Entries can be submitted to York Community Pride Awards, The Press, 84-86 Walmgate, York YO1 9YN.

You can also nominate online at yorkpress.co.uk/communitypride. The closing date for entries is Friday, July 21. You must include a supporting statement of no more than two sides of A4, and may include a picture.