9 August 2007

Dundee music stars' exclusive concert for Diabetes Campaign

* Michael Marra and Sheena Wellington Benefit Concert in aid of Diabetes Research Campaign - Friday, 14th September 2007 8.00pm, Bonar Hall *

(Note - New pic of Michael Marra and Sheena Wellington available from the University Press Office)

Two of Scotland’s greatest musical talents will join forces next month to raise funds for the University of Dundee’s Diabetes Research Campaign at an exclusive concert.

Michael Marra and Sheena Wellington will take to the stage at the Bonar Hall on Friday September 14th for the gala event to support the £3.3 million campaign to boost diabetes research across Tayside. A civic reception for supporters of the campaign hosted by the Depute Lord Provost, Cllr Dr Joe Morrow will take place prior to the concert.

Sheena Wellington said, "We are delighted to be supporting such an important appeal as the University’s drive to make the next breakthroughs in diabetes research and bring hope to the millions of people who are affected by the disease."

Michael Marra said, "The work being done by the University in Dundee and across Tayside is already making a real difference to many people and hopefully the concert will help them meet their target in the fundraising campaign to support those efforts."

Professor Andrew Morris, Chair of Diabetic Medicine at the University, said, "We are so grateful to Michael and Sheena for agreeing to help raise the profile of our campaign through this concert. It is vital that we raise awareness of rising incidence of diabetes and the difference that new clinical research facilities can make to patients right across Tayside".

Michael Marra is acclaimed as one of Scotland's finest songwriters and Dundee’s favourite musical son. He has created a body of work that can be matched by few of his contemporaries, and his shows testify to his talent to entertain and, through his combination of humour and thought provoking lyrics, to offer insights into the human condition.

Born in Dundee to a family of singers and weavers Sheena Wellington is one of Scotland's leading singer/songwriters. She is perhaps best known for her powerful rendition of Burns' "A Man's A Man For 'A That" at the opening ceremony of the first Scottish Parliament for almost three hundred years in July 1999. Her moving performance was hailed by many as the highlight of an historic day.

She captured the hearts of the University community last year while accepting a well-deserved honorary degree, when she raised the roof of the Caird Hall with a spine-tingling, unaccompanied rendition of "My love is like a red red rose". In a similar vein, following the conferral of his honorary degree, Michael Marra made a memorable contribution to the University’s 40th anniversary ceremony in February by singing "Green Grow the Rashes" alongside Sheena.

Sheena and Michael have now agreed to collaborate further with this unique concert and are giving their time and talent for free to aid the University's Diabetes Research Campaign, which aims to raise £3.3m to help extend and create clinical research centres in Dundee, Perth and Forfar; develop a bespoke diabetes translational research laboratory to take advantage of the world class discoveries taking place in the College of Life Sciences; and to create a research team exploring the causes of Type 1 diabetes.

Diabetes is now the fastest growing epidemic in the developed world. It is estimated that more than 300 million people worldwide will suffer from the disease by 2020. The disease has been recognised as the greatest threat to world health by the United Nations in a general resolution. In Tayside there has been a 90% increase in the incidence of diabetes in the last 9 years and the need to develop clinical research facilities across Tayside is urgent. The campaign aims to provide the facilities and technology to enable scientists and doctors to work together to develop better and more effective treatments and to devise preventative strategies for the disease.

Tickets for the charity concert cost £12.50 and are on sale at Groucho's, Nethergate, Dundee (tel. 01382 228496) or via Dundee store at www.dundee.ac.uk/drc.

For media enquiries contact:
Roddy Isles
Head, Press Office
University of Dundee
Nethergate Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384910
E-MAIL: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk