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L to R: Phill Rood, Prof Donna Davies, Emma Blair
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AAIR charity is currently helping raise £80,000 to purchase a state-of-the-art, computer controlled time-lapse microscope, which will enable the behavior of living cells and tissues to be studied over intervals ranging from minutes to days. Time-lapse microscopy is a powerful tool for studying a window into the cell so that sub-cellular structures can be visualized and monitored as they assemble or change.
AAIR’s Professor Donna Davies said: “ We are incredibly excited by the capabilities of ‘live-cell imaging’. It really does open up a new window onto cell behavior giving us much more detailed insight into those processes that are likely to be involved in the changes that occur in asthmatic airways that lead to the development or worsening of asthma.
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VT chose to support AAIR following a suggestion by employee Clare Baldwin whose late grandmother was an asthma sufferer. VT’s Internal Communications Manager, Emma Blair, and Press and PR Manager, Phil Rood visited Prof. Davies at AAIR to learn more about the microscope they will help purchase.
Mr Rood said: "The VT Group has been particularly impressed with the work of
AAIR. We recognise that asthma and allergic reactions are an increasing problem and the efforts of AAIR are valuable in researching treatments for these conditions. We hope that our contribution towards a time lapse microscope will provide further assistance in the important work carried out by the charity's medical experts."
Professor Davies added: "We are extremely grateful to VT and their staff for this wonderful donation which will help make an incredible difference to our research”
* The VT Group PLC is the British defence company formerly known as Vosper
Thornycroft. Founded by a merger between Vosper and Thornycroft in 1966, its original business was shipbuilding. It has since diversified into various engineering services. Its headquarters are located in Hedge End, Hampshire.
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L to R Caroline Pope, British Gas Charity co-ordinator Lisa Prince, General Manager Andy Eley,
Tracey Reddington, Tracy Nicoll. Julie Abul & Kay Fadden
L to R: Kathy Veitch, Freddie Eley, Andy Eley & Simon Rogers.
(L to R) Blake Hall, Mary Lewis & Jamie Brennan.
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The British Gas Southampton Customer Service Centre - which has 900 employees - has pledged to support AAIR
The contact centre, which fields calls from across the country, has named AAIR as its new Employee Charity for July - December 2006.
This is a huge boost for the charity and we are very grateful to the whole British Gas team, but particular thanks go to British Gas employee Tracey Reddington who nominated AAIR.
AAIR is a charity close to Tracey’s heart because her late father was an asthmatic and Tracey is an asthmatic and allergy sufferer herself.
Tracey, who has worked for British Gas for 4 years, said: “I’m pleased to support AAIR as it means so much to me. The charity is dependent on donations to fund their fantastic work – so they need our help”.
Lisa Prince British Gas Southampton Charity Co-ordinator said the contact centre had previously supported national charities selected by a panel of employee representatives but this was the first time they had made their selection independently and via a site employee nomination process.
Lisa said: “Being able to select a local charity this year was quite exciting. In our quest to find a charity we wanted to help raise awareness of this worthy cause as well as raising vital funds. It is great that an organisation as large as ours listens to its staff, which makes our choice of charity, AAIR, all the more special”.
Tracey and a team from the contact centre has recently visited AAIR to meet the team and see where the funding will be allocated.
The call centre, which is based at St Mary’s Road, will be raising money through a variety of measures, including monthly social events and ongoing sales of cookies & hand made cards.
AAIR fundraising director Caroline Pope said: “The UK has one of the highest incidence of asthma and allergies worldwide. Our researchers have made some major breakthroughs but still one person dies of asthma every seven hours.
“We’re really looking forward to a productive partnership with British Gas. The money raised by the British Gas call centre will support research which will help make a real difference to people’s lives.”
British Gas Fundraising events
A raffle to win a family photographic session at Venture in Winchester raised £40.
TIME FOR TEE
A handicap of 12 saw Southampton general manager, Andy Eley lead his team, of four, to win a respectable third place at this year’s charity golf summer event. It was chance for both golf pros and novices to putt away while raising £45 for
AAIR.
British Gas has raised another £145 thanks to a charity quiz night at Southampton’s Hogs Head pub.
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