Perth prison inmates raise money for Maggie's Centre

Sep 11 2009 by Gordon Bannerman, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

PERTH prisoners were doing some hard labour this week but no one was complaining.

The big-hearted cons offered their services after learning that the Scottish Prison Service was backing Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres.

It was a race against time to fill 6000 goodie bags needed for Sunday’s Fresh N Lo Pedal for Scotland fundraiser, which will see nearly 6000 cyclists complete the 55-miles from Glasgow to Edinburgh.

Prison governor Kate Donegan joined prisoners and Edinburgh Road staff on the makeshift production line.

And a record-breaking £47,433 cheque was handed over by the Scottish Prison Service raised by participation in the Maggie’s Monster Bike and Hike 2009.

The SPS have had a team in the event for the last three years but smashed previous records this time round by getting 100 officers to the start line. And a dozen prisoners also took part in a simulated challenge within the jail’s top security walls.

The relationship between the SPS and Maggie’s began when prison officer Alan Arundel’s wife died from cancer.

Alan and colleagues, including good friend Glenn Miller, signed up for the Monster 2007 in her memory.

Glen subsequently took on the task of promoting the challenge to jails across Scotland, with prisoners and officers alike rallying to the cause.

Glen’s dedication resulted in receiving the SPS chief executive’s Meritorious Contribution Award.

Events team member Glen Yuill said money raised from Sunday’s cycle challenge will go a long way to helping Maggie’s help people affected by cancer to build a life beyond the disease. The prison service support was “both humbling and inspiring.”