Big-hearted Abertay University Food students have donated £900 to a local charity from the fund that would have paid for their Graduate Ball.
The annual end-of-year celebration was due to take place during the summer at West Park hotel in Dundee, but was postponed until November.
When it became clear that the rescheduled date would also not go ahead, the organising students set to work on an alternative plan.
Those who had booked could get either a refund, or the opportunity to donate their £30 ticket fee to Dudhope Multicultural Centre.
Collective effort
4th year Food, Nutrition and Health student Emma Brough was one of the students behind the move.
“I volunteer at a food bank and I know first-hand how much the pandemic has affected charities,” she said.
“It’s a difficult time for everyone right now and the generosity and positive response from the students has been pretty overwhelming.
“We’re so pleased to be able to donate £900 to such a worthy local cause.
“Dudhope Multicultural Centre has been delivering hot food three-times-a-week to 28 vulnerable older people who have been left isolated due to the pandemic.
“They really are a lifeline service.”
The centre publishes a free magazine which is distributed to older people containing puzzles, articles and recipes.
They also run a community garden which has been adapted for people with disabilities.
When venue West Park heard what the students were planning to do they not only waived the deposit, but provided a £100 donation of their own.
Emma added: “We are so grateful to West Park for this incredible gesture. The pandemic has affected the hospitality sector and the fact they have chosen to do this really was the icing on the cake.
“They have been so supportive of what we are doing and I can’t thank them enough.”
‘Kind donation’
Pratima Mukhopadhyay, project manager at Dudhope Multicultural Centre, says she has been taken aback by the gesture.
She said: “Our funding finishes at the end of November so we have been trying to seek funds to be able to supply hot meals to our elderly and vulnerable recipients over Christmas and New Year.
“Since it is very likely that many of our elderly people will be unable to spend Christmas with their families this year, we will be looking to use the kind donation from the students of Abertay University towards preparing Christmas and New Year meals and hampers for them.
“We are so grateful for the kind donation from the students and we will make sure it is put to good use.”
A spokesperson for West Park said: “We were disappointed not to be able to host the event, but are pleased that the gesture of goodwill is going to such a worthwhile cause.
“The donation will provide support to an important local charity at a difficult time.”
To find out more about Dudhope Multicultural Centre, visit their website.
