Share

JOHNSTON CARMICHAEL DONATION SECURES STATE OF THE ART TECHNOLOGY FOR BEATSON INSTITUTE

The staff of Aberdeen-headquartered Johnston Carmichael, Scotland's largest independent firm of Chartered Accountants, have presented a cheque for £40,000 to Cancer Research UK.

£20,000 of the funds has purchased a vital piece of equipment to help the Beatson Institute for Cancer Research in Glasgow with its on-going research into cancer.

The institute has used the Johnston Carmichael donation to purchase an exCELLigence System. The state-of-the-art system allows scientists at the institute to examine cells in real time, to determine their structure and characteristics, without the need for dyes or chemicals.

The cells are therefore more natural and similar to those found in the body, providing scientists with the opportunity to carry out more accurate examinations of cells, as part of their impressive research efforts.

The donation from Johnston Carmichael is part of a total of £62,460 raised by the firm for a range of charitable causes in the last year. The funds were raised through a variety of activities, including a golf marathon, sponsored walk, dress down days and members of staff running in the London Marathon.

In addition to the Cancer Research UK donation funds, the remaining £22,460 has been shared amongst a number of other good causes, with each of Johnston Carmichael's ten offices across Scotland adopting a local charity to support during the past twelve months.

The firm has demonstrated a major commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and the communities within which it works, with this year's fundraising effort from employees bringing the total funds raised in the last eight years to in excess of £307,000.

Johnston Carmichael's Chief Executive, Sandy Manson, and Managing Partner of the firm's Glasgow office, Mark Houston, unveiled a plaque - which highlights the firm's support in purchasing the exCELLigence System - at the Beatson Institute in Glasgow, on Thursday, September 15.

Barbara Chaneton, of the Beatson Institute also provided Mr Manson and Mr Houston with a demonstration of how the system operates.

Mr Manson commented: "Each year we ask our people which of the many worthy causes they would like to support. This year we were delighted to be able to support Cancer Research UK with the purchase of a piece of vital research equipment.

"The commitment of all our people to find creative ways to raise significant funds for good causes is tremendous and this year's effort has given us all a sense of achievement to be able to contribute in some modest way towards the vital work aimed at beating cancer through research."

Cancer Research UK's Area Volunteer Manager for Highlands and Islands, Mark Colley-Davies, added: "It has been a pleasure working with Johnston Carmichael over the past twelve months. Their approach to working with a charity is to embrace its goals wholeheartedly and they clearly give CSR the level of attention it deserves. They really got to know Cancer Research UK, to understand what we stand for and how we operate. This showed in their support and we thank them wholeheartedly for this fantastic donation."

Johnston Carmichael's firm-wide charity of the year for 2011/2012 is to be Alzheimer Scotland, with a range of fundraising activities already planned.

The firm - which has 46 partners and over 420 staff across its 10 offices - is the largest independent firm of Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers in Scotland. It has specialist expertise across a number of sectors including construction, agriculture and rural property, energy services, engineering, fishing, food and food processing, hospitality, dentistry, pharmacy, medical, healthcare and professional services.

Johnston Carmichael also recently won the Best Medium Firm of the Year award for the fourth consecutive year at the prestigious Scottish Accountancy Awards 2011.

For further information about Johnston Carmichael and the firm's CSR strategy, please visit www.jcca.co.uk <http://www.jcca.co.uk/> or call the Iain Abernethy, Head of CSR on 01467 621475.

192 views