ONE of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution’s longest serving fundraising volunteers has died in Salisbury at the age of 100.

Florence Candlish was born in Southsea, Portsmouth. Her only connection with the sea was that her father was in the Royal Navy in Portsmouth, otherwise she was not keen on boats, nor going in the sea because she could not swim.

She has been associated with the charity for 78 years and started collecting for the RNLI in 1939 while working in Birmingham.

As an accomplished catering specialist, she travelled the country during her career setting up industrial kitchens, but she always managed to find time for the RNLI.

After moving to London and having two sons, she helped the Kensington branch with Flag collections.

In 1967, Florence moved to Stratford-sub-Castle and joined the Salisbury branch.

After joining the committee in 1969 she was a “dedicated and enthusiastic” member, serving in all the elected posts.

She was chairman of the branch between 1986 and 2000.

In 2001, the RNLI awarded her a Gold Badge for outstanding service.

This substantial contribution helped raise the profile of the RNLI locally and successfully promoted the ethos of the charity, through many diverse fundraising events and street collections.

Although she did not stand outside supermarkets with a collecting bucket or collect on Flag Day in Salisbury for the last couple of years, she was still actively involved.

Florence, who died on March 27, retired as branch vice president on her 100th birthday last June.

The Wessex Charity Awards presented her with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012, the same year in which RNLI made Florence an honorary life governor.