Customers and staff at convenience store chain David Sands have raised almost £8,000 for the Association for International Cancer Research (AICR), a St Andrews-based charity which has invested almost £140 million in cancer research to fund vital work in all areas of the disease.
David Sands, which operates 29 stores across Fife, Kinross and Perthshire, has been supporting the charity for almost five years and last year donated almost £15,000 to AICR towards its global work in areas ranging from investigating the mechanisms which cause cancer, to improvements in its prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
All future funds raised by customers and staff at David Sands will go directly towards funding a UK prostate cancer project. AICR chief executive Norman Barrett, who received a cheque for £7,769.80, said: “We are very grateful to the management of David Sands Ltd, not only for nominating us to receive this award, but also for their continuing support and generosity for our work.
“Local stores play an important role in the community and are extremely generous in their support of charities, schools and events in their neighbourhoods. David Sands is a magnificent example of that investment in the community. Thanks to campaigns like this and our other fundraising avenues, we should be able to fund around 25 new projects at the September meeting of our Scientific Advisory Committee.”
David Sands, an independent, family-run business based in Kinross, has raised the funds for cancer research by charging customers 2p a carrier bag and supporting the recently launched ‘Making A Difference – Locally’ campaign. This is a new charity that has been launched to help independently-run local stores add value in their communities through donations to local charities or good causes.
Local stores are at the heart of communities and ideally placed to provide their customers with a personal and friendly service during their shopping trip. The ‘Making A Difference – Locally’ charity will help them further cement their position in their communities. Over 2,000 stores nationwide – all members of the Nisa-Today’s and Costcutter retail groups – are participating in the new campaign.
Lindsay Sands, chairman of David Sands, said: “Our staff have always got behind local fundraising efforts and are genuinely enthusiastic when it comes to supporting good causes. There are few of us whose lives are untouched by cancer so we are delighted to support this local charity in its global research.
“We are a long-time supporter of various charities and many other local causes, and our pledge is to raise £1 million for cancer research. We also support Macmillan Cancer Support and will be hosting a series of fundraising events in our stores for Macmillan’s big annual event – the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning – on Friday, 24th September.”
Geraldine Long, AICR's Development Manager and Norman Barrett, the charity's Chief Executive, pictured at the new store with Lindsay Sands, chairman of David Sands, and his wife, Edith.
