A fundraiser working for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award organisation has won a scholarship to attend a conference in Canada this year.

Fiona Holmes, the development director of the DofE International Award Bermuda, was selected by the Association of Fundraising Professionals for its Chamberlain Scholarship prize.

The scholarship will pay for Ms Holmes to attend an international conference organised by the Association of Fundraising Professionals in Toronto in April.

According to an association spokesman, the annual conference is a combination of education, networking and inspiration. This year’s keynote speaker is Nikole Hannah-Jones, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, journalist and a staff writer at The New York Times Magazine.

Ms Holmes was nominated by AFP Bermuda co-presidents Ann Spencer-Arscott and Katie Bennett, who said in a statement: “We are excited for Fiona to attend the AFP conference. This event is a unique and impactful opportunity for fundraising professionals to gain new skills, grow as a professional and bring new knowledge back to Bermuda.”

Ms Holmes said: “I would like to thank the Chamberlain Scholarship committee and the Bermuda chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals for awarding me the opportunity to attend the AFP conference in April.

“I am honoured to be representing the Bermuda chapter. I would also like thank the Cummings Zuill Leadership Award Trust, who are supporting me in attending this conference.

“The conference has always been highly recommended by my fellow fundraising peers in Bermuda, and I am excited to be able to attend. I am looking forward to broadening my knowledge and experience in fundraising and development, hearing from some of the leading experts and learning about the latest trends in the field.

“I enjoy sharing ideas and networking with colleagues, which is a big part of the conference. My passion for fundraising for youth development organisations grew early on when I experienced the positive effects local youth development programmes have on young people in Bermuda.

“I work for the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Bermuda, offering the highly regarded youth achievement award to anyone aged 14 to 24 from across the island, free of charge.

“It is my hope that by attending this conference I will improve the way in which I successfully fundraise and ultimately demonstrate how donors’ investments make a difference, impacting the local community and benefiting as many young people in Bermuda as possible.”