Organisers of the campaign to bring a new cancer centre to Aberdeen received an early Christmas bonus when bosses at Wood Group PSN handed over the first instalment of a £100,000 pledge.
The energy services firm has donated £25,000 to set the ball rolling on a year of giving in 2012.
Staff will be encouraged to take part in a number of fundraising schemes in aid of the Monty’s Maggie’s Appeal and the company will match their efforts pound for pound.
The money will go towards the £3million campaign being run by Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres and the Elizabeth Montgomerie Foundation – the charity set up by golf star Colin Montgomerie in memory of his mother who died from the disease.
The designs for the new centre at Foresterhill were unveiled earlier this week by the Press and Journal, which is backing the appeal.
Aberdeen-based Wood Group PSN has adopted the Monty’s Maggie’s Appeal as its UK charity for 2012.
UK managing director Robin Watson said: “One in three of us will be diagnosed with cancer in our lifetime and the support services that Maggie’s provides to individuals and their families are literally life-changing.
“Wood Group PSN employs over 7,500 people in the UK – a large number of whom live and work in the Grampian region.
“We have a duty to support this cause and will be working continuously to promote the centre and encourage other businesses we work with to show their support.
“I am confident we can raise even more than our target.”
Aberdeen is the only NHS cancer site in Scotland not to have a Maggie’s centre at present.
The planning application for the proposed building was submitted to Aberdeen City Council on Wednesday.
It is hoped it will be open to provide practical and emotional care to people with cancer and their loved ones from across the north-east by 2013.
Colin Welsh, chairman of the Monty’s Maggie’s Appeal, said: “The commitment from everyone at Wood Group PSN is a significant boost towards delivering this landmark project for the community, and will allow us to start building the centre in 2012 on the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary campus.”