A caring grandmother has raised more than £1,277 for the Wales Air Ambulance after requesting charity donations in lieu of gifts to mark her 80th birthday.

Dorothy Davies MBE, also known as Dossie, marked her milestone birthday by celebrating with 150 family and friends at the Royal Welsh Showground in Llanelwedd, Builth Wells.

The guests were treated to a wonderful evening, including entertainment provided by The Radnor Twirzles, and everyone tucked in to a delicious buffet from Fingers and Forks Catering.

Widowed Dossie, who is a proud mum to Rhiannon and Meirion, mother-in-law to Andrew and Emma and grandmother to her three grandchildren Lowri, Rhys and Hadley, has previously donated £1,000 to the charity in memory of her late husband Verney Davies.

The Wales Air Ambulance needs to raise £11.2 million every year to keep its helicopters in the air and its rapid response vehicles on the road.

Dossie, from Nantmel, near Llandrindod Wells said: “At the age of 80 I have all the materialistic things required in my life so I wanted this special occasion to help a very worthwhile charity, which is such a vital lifeline in our rural area of Mid Wales for people of all ages.

“We were overwhelmed by the very generous donations given by friends and family to Wales Air Ambulance - it shows how important it is to us all.”

Wales Air Ambulance is consultant-led, taking hospital-standard treatments to the patient and, if required, transferring them directly to the most appropriate hospital for their illness or injury. For the patient, this can mean hours saved when compared to standard care and is proven to greatly improve survival and early recovery.

This advanced critical care includes the ability to administer anaesthesia, deliver blood transfusions and conduct minor operations, all at the scene of an incident.

As a pan-Wales service, its dedicated crews will travel the length and breadth of the country to deliver emergency lifesaving care.

Dossie continued: “We have always been big supporters of Wales Air Ambulance and give regular donations in memory of people at their funerals - living in a remote part of Wales it’s a lifeline for us.”

Kate Thomas, Wales Air Ambulance Regional Fundraising Manager said: “A huge thank you to Dossie and her family. What a wonderful way to mark her milestone birthday. It sounds like Dossie, her family and friends all enjoyed a wonderful evening getting together and celebrating her 80th birthday.

“It is such a thoughtful gesture from Dossie to ask for donations to charity in lieu of gifts, it shows what a kind-hearted person she is. Thank you to everyone.”

Dossie also asked for donations for The Alzheimer’s Society, which is another charity that means a lot to them all.

Dossie received her MBE at Buckingham Palace on November 25 2010, from The Princess Royal, for Services to Nursing and to Healthcare in Llandrindod Wells. She worked until she was nearly 70, having been a district nurse from the Rhayader doctor surgery for nearly 40 years.