DUMBARTON'S Chivas Brothers has donated £5,000 to a cancer charity after the drinks company's staff voted to support its pioneering work.

Each year staff select their favourite causes to support as part of the company’s commitment to build strong relations with the local communities where it operates.

The £5,000 donation to Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre will support the charity’s pioneering work, supporting the 8,000 new patients and their families who attend the cancer centre every year. The internationally renowned cancer centre is the busiest in the UK in terms of clinical activity and patient numbers.

Three of the Chivas Brothers' employees – Valerie McNamara, Catherine Cairns and David Moffat – who are all based at Kilmalid manufacturing site and voted for the charity, recently visited the Beatson Cancer Charity Wellbeing Centre and were shown around the facility by Joyce Ross.

Catherine revealed: “My reason for nominating Beatson Cancer Charity is firstly because of all the help and support given to my boyfriend’s father and his family, before he passed away early last year.”

Valerie, added: “The work they do in supporting people at the most difficult time of their lives is fantastic.”

David Moffat said: “I have witnessed first-hand how caring, dedicated and wonderful everyone connected with the centre is and that's why when The Beatson was one of the nominated charities I opted for it.”

The donation to Beatson Cancer Charity forms part of a £20,000 contribution to four charities across the UK.

Joyce Ross, Fundraising Manager at Beatson Cancer Charity, said: “On behalf of everyone at Beatson Cancer Charity, I’d like to express our sincere thanks to everyone at Chivas Brothers for this incredibly generous donation.

“Alarmingly, more than one in three people are affected by cancer in the West of Scotland - the highest cancer rate in Europe. All money raised will go a very long way in the fight against cancer, now and in the future and for that we are truly thankful.”