AN Abergavenny couple who have spent nearly 30 years raising around £500,000 for local and national charities have been forced to retire.

Trevor Turner was diagnosed in February with an aortic aneurysm which is inoperable, so his consultant told him he had to give up his current life style which meant he could no longer drive nor do anything stressful.

This meant he and his wife Peggy had to give up what they love best - organising coach trips to the theatre for charity.

The couple, who are both 81, live in Holywell Road, Abergavenny and they are very well known in the area for their charity work.

Said Trevor, "It all started in 1984 when we were asked by the parishioners at St David's Church, Llanddewi Rhydderch to organise a trip to the Bristol Hippodrome to see Danny La Rue in the pantomime Cinderella.

"About that time the Queen Mother opened St David's Hall in Cardiff so we started taking coaches to both venues, and this expanded to include shows at the New Theatre, the CIA and Theatr Brycheiniog."

Such was their success that in 2002 Trevor received the MBE from the Prince of Wales during a ceremony in Cardiff Castle.

He recalled, "It was the proudest day of my life." It must have been a very proud day for his family too - his wife and their son Ian and daughter Helen accompanied him.

After supporting various national and local charities during the first few years Trevor and Peggy then decided to make a special effort for Breast Test Wales in gratitude for the successful treatment Peggy underwent after being diagnosed with breast cancer during a routine examination at the mobile screening unit.

She was treated by consultant surgeon Mr Ian Monypenny and he regularly attended the annual coffee evening the couple organised in the Angel Hotel, Abergavenny every June until last year.

By then they had raised in excess of £150,000 for that worthy cause.

Sadly their fund raising then took on a more personal meaning with the diagnosis and subsequent death of their beloved daughter in law Susan from cancer.

More than £25,000 was raised for Velindre Hospital in her memory and a plaque in her name was erected.

Then bad luck hit them again when Trevor was diagnosed six years ago with prostate cancer but after radium treatment the problem cleared up.

He was then diagnosed with diabetes and for years he has suffered from sleep apnoea, a condition which means he stops breathing momentarily so has to use a special machine to help him breathe. Until recently Trevor was chairman of the Welsh Sleep Apnoea Association. 

Among the charities that benefited from their fund-raising were Ty Hafan Children's Hospice, St Anne's Hospice, the Royal British Legion, St George's Soldiers and Sailors Association, Leukaemia Research, Abergavenny Alzheimer's Carers' Group, In The Pink and Prostate Progress Research.

The couple are both very grateful to everyone who helped with their fund raising, especially William Griffiths, owner of the Angel Hotel who allowed the ballroom to be used for the coffee evening, Brian White, proprietor of Graham's Coaches, Abertillery who provided the transport to the theatres, Tracey and Emma of B and N Printers and Chris and Jane Parry who acted as couriers for the coach trips.

They also paid special tribute to Abergavenny's answer to Elvis Presley - aka Keith Davies - for two sell-out concerts to boost their funds.

He is also appearing at a concert on December 1 at the Borough Theatre for them to raise money for local causes.

And there is one more trip they will organise and that is to the Festival of Remembrance at St David's Hall, Cardiff on November 2.

Both admit they will miss the theatre trips but after several health scares they are ready for a well earned rest.