A Plymouth-based photography group has raised £6,000 for victims of asbestos-related diseases by publishing a stunning charity calendar – a generous contribution towards raising asbestos awareness.
The iPlymouth Photography Group teamed up with the South West Mesothelioma Support Group (SWMSG) to produce the calendar, which features perfectly captured images of the Plymouth, Devon and Cornwall areas.
A hotspot for mesothelioma
SWMSG was established in 2011 to provide various means of support for mesothelioma sufferers and their families. The group also raises awareness about the disease and raises funds for mesothelioma research.
Plymouth is one of the areas with the highest rate of mesothelioma sufferers – many former dockyard workers and labourers live in the locality. In fact, some of the calendar’s contributors know all too well how devastating the effects of mesothelioma can be.
Eric McDonald joined iPlymouth five years ago, not long before his father was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2011. His father unfortunately succumbed to the disease while striving to get recognition for the cause of his industrial injury through the courts.
Eric said: “Helping with the calendar means I can give back something useful in memory of dad, and hopefully raise money and awareness of this disease which will affect a lot of Plymouth people for years to come.”
The calendar was designed and produced by Jamie Quinn, a member of iPlymouth and a cartographer for Plymouth University, who stated: “It’s great to combine showcasing the extraordinary talent from local amateur photographers whilst helping raise money for such a worthy charity,”
Various local companies sponsored the calendar, which allowed the entire amount that was raised to be donated to the SWMSG.
The more than can be done, the better
With mesothelioma being such an aggressive disease, it is important that as much money and awareness is raised as possible. The cancer, which normally affects the lining of the lungs or the stomach, can often lay undetected for decades, which is why so many cases of it have only just come to light in recent years.
Here at Salvum, we are doing our utmost to help reduce the number of future asbestos-related disease sufferers, offering an array of services including refurbishment surveys, demolition surveys and consultancy services. Simply get in touch with us today if your organisation would like to take advantage of our highly specialised and hard-won expertise.
