AN ABERGAVENNY man who with his wife raised around £500,000 for charity over almost 30 years, has died.

Breast Test Wales, children's hospice Ty Hafan, 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 cancer group Progress are among the charities to have benefited from the tireless efforts of Trevor Turner, 82 and his wife Peggy.

The couple, from Holywell Road, Abergavenny, began fundraising in 1984 when parishioners at St David's Church, Llandewi Rhydderch, asked them to organise a trip to Bristol Hippodrome for a pantomime. Further coach trips followed over many years, to shows in Bristol, Cardiff and Brecon.

After supporting various national and local charities the couple chose to focus on Breast Test Wales after Mrs Turner underwent successful treatment for breast cancer. More than £150,000 was raised for this good cause alone.

Velindre Hospital also benefited, receiving £25,000 from their efforts in the aftermath of the loss of their daughter-in-law to cancer.

Seven years ago, Mr Turner was diagnosed with prostate cancer and successfully treated, and in summer 2012 was diagnosed with an inoperable aortic aneurysm after which, on medical advice, he began to scale back his activities and the couple decided to retire from fundraising.

Mr Turner, also a former chairman of the Welsh Sleep Apnoea Association, was awarded an MBE in 2002, for his services to charity, receiving the honour from the Prince of Wales during a ceremony at Cardiff Castle.

Father Mark Soady, Vicar of Abergavenny, paid tribute to Mr Turner, saying he was "very well known and popular in the area."

"People respected him very much for the good works he and Peggy did and for all the money he helped raise for charities," said Mr Soady.

"Although that work had pretty much come to an end, he was still doing a little. Only a few days ago he took 200 books of raffle tickets from me to sell for the church (St Mary's Priory).

"He used his many contacts for the benefit of the community and the church, and he will be sorely missed by the congregation here."

Monmouth MP DavidDavies said he had known Mr Turner, an active member of the Conservative Party, for many years.

"Every time I saw him he was selling raffle tickets for one cause or another. He was indefatigable, a real community man," said Mr Davies.

"It would be nice to have a few more Trevors around the place."

A funeral service for Mr Turner will be held at St Mary's Priory Church, Abergavenny, at 11.30am on Monday October 28.