Scientists in the School of Life Sciences collected £3,311 over the weekend at TESCO, Riverside, Dundee and TESCO, Edinburgh Road, Perth, exceeding the amount collected in either of the first two weekends of the August-long campaign. This brings the amount collected over the first three weekends to £9436, to which TESCO will add an additional 20%.
Commenting on the weekend's efforts, Sir Philip Cohen said: "The generosity of the citizens of Dundee and Perth continues to amaze me. The amount donated is increasing week by week. The many diabetics and their relatives and friends who spoke to me last weekend in TESCO has emphasised the urgent need to develop improved drugs to treat this disease. Unexpectedly, I even met several people in Perth with diabetic dogs and cats, which need a special diet and medication every day!"
In a second fund raising effort for the new centre, 18 more scientists and support staff from the School of Life Sciences took part in a sponsored cycle from Dundee to Inverness via Braemar last weekend. The amount raised by the cyclists will not be known for a few weeks.
Over the next and penultimate weekend of the month-long campaign in TESCO, the scientists will be collecting at the Dundee Metro store in the city centre.
Anyone wishing to make a separate personal donation should e.mail Sir Philip Cohen (p.cohen@dundee.ac.uk) or telephone him (01382 344238) or Joan Concannon (01382 345565).
By Jenny Marra, Head of Press 01382 344910 j.m.marra@dundee.ac.uk