MP leads chorus of praise for dedicated elder Dawn

An elder described as the lifeblood of her church in Polwarth has been thanked for the difference she makes in the wider community.

- by Julie Douglas

Dawn Purves, a member of the management board at Polwarth Parish Church, is the latest recipient of the Community Hero Award presented by Edinburgh South MP Ian Murray.

Hailed as the glue that holds the church together, Dawn was involved in a campaign to raise funds to buy a canal boat for educational and church activities in 2021.

Named “All Aboard”, the 60-ft long bright blue and yellow wide-beam vessel is moored outside the church on the banks of the Union Canal and is a key element of the congregation’s mission outreach work.

The retired teacher is also the driving force behind a range of community activities, including a group that helps to combat loneliness by offering sessions such as gardening, baking and crafts, for men and women, while raising money for charity through the sale of goods they make.