Medical charity secures £20,000 grant
Archived press release
Date Published: 24/03/09
The £20,000 cheque is awarded to Cancer and Bio-detection Dogs in Westcott
A local charity carrying out pioneering medical research in Aylesbury Vale has been awarded a £20,000 project grant by the Community Chest fund.
Cancer and Bio-detection Dogs, based in Westcott, is looking into how dogs can smell the odours given off by cancer.
Dogs selected by the medical charity are trained to recognise the scent of cancer cells in urine samples and scientists hope the detection procedure will lead to earlier diagnosis of the disease and save more lives. The organisation also trains dogs to detect high or low blood sugar levels in diabetes patients.
They are doing the work with Buckinghamshire Hospitals NHS Trust and their funding comes through Amerderm Research Trust.
The Community Chest grant will be used by the charity to employ a specialist trainer on a full-time basis, so that dogs can be trained more quickly, and to help provide training and support for volunteers who care for the dogs. More than 30 local people have already come forward to provide volunteer support for this project, but more are needed.
Claire Guest, co-founder and chief executive of Cancer and Bio-detection Dogs, said: “Cancer and Bio-detection Dogs are delighted to have been awarded a project grant by the Aylesbury Vale Community Chest Fund. This will contribute massively to the development of our work in this new field training dogs to detect human disease by odour. The pioneering work includes research into the early detection and diagnosis of cancer and the training of specialist hypo-alert dogs for diabetic individuals.
“With these funds we will be able to expand our work recruiting volunteers and fosterers from the Aylesbury region. We are so grateful to the Aylesbury Vale community for all its help, We intend to make a difference and save thousands of lives in the future.”
Funded jointly by Aylesbury Vale District Council and the Vale of Aylesbury Housing Trust, the £500,000 Community Chest fund was established to help voluntary and community organisations provide, or improve, services and community facilities for the benefit of everyone living in the Vale.
Two types of grant can be applied for: micro grants of up to £1,000, which can be applied for at any time, or project grants of up to £25,000, which are awarded three times a year.
The money can be used for a range of purposes including new equipment for groups, paying for volunteers’ training or improving community facilities. To be successful, each project needs to demonstrate local need, community involvement and benefit in their application.
In the latest round of awards, 14 community projects benefited from almost £100,000 in funding to support a wide variety of activities. Amongst the groups to receive grants were:
• Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust - received £20,000 towards a new visitor and education centre at the College Lake Nature Reserve near Tring
• Buckingham Athletic Sports and Social Club - obtained a £15,000 grant towards the refurbishment of their clubhouse
• Aylesbury Youth Action - awarded £12,000 towards a new project aimed at broadening involvement in volunteering by young people from diverse backgrounds
The deadline for the next round of project grants is 17 July. Microgrants continue to be reviewed each month.
If you would like more information on how to apply for a grant, call the grants team on 01296 585634 or email communitychest@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk