18 June 2001

Students from the University of Dundee's School of Town and Regional Planning have completed a survey for a local voluntary sector organisation and donated their prize money to charity.

Second-year students studying town planning and environmental management surveyed a local recycling charity -Tayside Foundation for the Conservation of Resources TFCR and produced a SWOT analysis and business plan to prepare the ground for future strategies.

Dr Peter Romilly, chairperson of TFCR said: "The students' work is extremely useful. Involving students in the voluntary sector is a positive way to introduce them to real-life policy issues."

The winning group of students insisted on foregoing their cash prize in favour of a donation to Rachel House, a hospice for children who are terminally ill.

Bill Lynch, director of the environmental management programme and course organiser would be happy to facilitate further exercises with voluntary organisations that are keen to have their operations scrutinised by students. Bill can be contacted at the University on 345237. ENDS

Left to right - Peter Romilly, Stuart Freeman, Christina Laverty, Janice Gray, Amanda Moncur, Barbara Illsley, programme director in the School of Town and Regional Planning, Murray Agnew, Stephen Kilmartin and Bill Lynch, programme director, environmental management.