Cambridge BioScience research assistant Simon Hacking with, left to right, Liz Brinsdon, Lynn Tilly and Sarah Nutland

Employees at Cambridge chartered accountancy firm Peters Elworthy & Moore (PEM) have raised cash for a children’s charity after donating their blood for medical research.

Employees at Cambridge chartered accountancy firm Peters Elworthy & Moore (PEM) have raised cash for a children’s charity after donating their blood for medical research.

Some 45 employees gave £10 each for the privilege of donating blood or saliva to the Cambridge BioResource - a volunteer panel set up to help medical researchers investigate the links between genes and common diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

And the result was a cash injection of £450 for East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) – PEM’s charity of the year.

PEM office manager Lynn Tilley said: “We were pleased to have thought of a novel way to raise funds for EACH, whilst taking part in a worthwhile community research project.”

The PEM employees have joined a growing Cambridge BioResource database of more than 9,000 volunteers in the Cambridge area.

“It is fantastic that independent businesses like PEM back us up in this way,” said Cambridge BioResource co-ordinator Sarah Nutland.

“We normally give £10 shopping vouchers as a small thank you to every new member who joins. However, partners and staff at PEM decided that - instead of receiving the reward - they’d rather convert their vouchers to cash and donate it to EACH.”

Liz Brinsdon, corporate fundraiser for EACH, said: “We’re hugely grateful to everyone who took part for their contribution. Every penny raised will help us continue our work supporting life-threatened children and their families in the local area.”