SSEN team steps up to the oche to target Parkinson’s

A team of volunteers from Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) has got involved to help Parkinson’s UK hit the target through its partnership with a leading professional darts body.

The Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) is aiming to raise £100,000 during 2016 to help Parkinson’s UK fund research into a cure for the condition, which affects about 1 in every 500 people across the country. The partnership was inspired by popular darts broadcaster Dave Clark who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2011.

The SSEN team worked to raise funds from the crowds attending the PDC World Series of Darts Finals which were held recently at the Braehead Arena in Glasgow. As well as collecting donations for the charity, the volunteers were tasked with raising awareness of the condition and the work done by Parkinson’s UK to change attitudes, support people and find a cure. They were able to help via SSEN’s Be the Difference programme, which enables every employee to give a day of their time to a charity or community cause of their choice.

Commenting, SSEN engineer Clare Montgomery said:

“Parkinson’s affects people in communities the length and breadth of the country. Although there isn’t currently a cure, there is a lot that can be done via treatment and support to help people living with the condition. Parkinson’s UK does hugely important work, making sure support is available to everyone who needs it and funding research to find a cure.

“At a personal level, my Gran’s sister had Parkinson’s so the charity is one I am very keen to support. I’ve helped out with fundraising before and when the opportunity came up to lend a hand at the darts finals, it was a great chance to get some of my colleagues involved too.”

Parkinson’s is a progressive neurological condition that results from the loss of some nerve cells in the brain. The root cause is not understood, but it can result in a range of symptoms - particularly tremor, rigidity and slowness of movement. More information about the condition and the work of Parkinson’s UK can be found at www.parkinsons.org.uk.

The SSEN team helping to target Parkinson's at the PDC World Series of Darts Finals (left to right): Andy McManus, Clare Montgomery, Lynne Lennon, Duncan Mure, Karina Nowicka and Stuart Ross