Dumfries man winner of penguin competition

Dumfries resident Harry McAllister is the lucky winner of a £300 bicycle, after finding an elusive climate-refugee penguin in the Ewart Library.

Mr McAllister was one of dozens of intrigued locals who spotted the pocket-sized model penguin in the library and entered the teaser style competition run by Friends of the Earth Scotland to call on all politicians to pass a strong Climate Change Act.

The penguins traveled all over the country from the Highlands of Scotland to Lands End taking their message of ‘Save the Human’. One penguin even found her way to the Glastonbury festival.

Mr McAllister who won his choice of bicycle worth £300 from the Edinburgh Bicycle Co-operative’s ‘Revolution’ range said, “I can’t believe the good timing of this win; my wife has been at me to get rid of my 800cc motorbike and get a pedal bike instead to improve my health, and I had just put the motorbike on the market the day I got the call from Friends of the Earth Scotland.”

Mary Church at Friends of the Earth Scotland said: “Our penguin competition was a lighthearted way to highlight the serious message that we need to take action on climate change now. By creating the strongest climate change law in the industrialized world, Scotland has set a precedent for other developed nations ahead of the international negotiations at Copenhagen. Find out how to get involved with our campaign to Demand Climate Justice at Copenhagen by logging onto www.foe-scotland.org.uk.”

ENDS

Media contact: Davina Shiell, Friends of the Earth Scotland Tel: 0131 243 2719,
To re-direct to the mobile call 0131 243 2715
Email: dshiell@foe-scotland.org.uk

NOTES

1. Pictures are available on request.

2. Some species of penguins, such as the iconic Emperor Penguin, are threatened by sea ice melting in the Antarctic http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7851276.stm

3. On 4th August, Scotland’s Climate Change Bill received Royal Assent meaning that Scotland now has the strongest climate change law in the industrialised world.

3. Friends of the Earth Scotland exists to help people in Scotland look after the planet for everyone’s future. We think globally and act locally in Scotland, delivering solutions to the problem of climate change by enabling and empowering people to take both individual and collective action. We offer help to people with the big things in life – helping to sustain a healthy society and environment. We believe that all of our children’s futures will be better because of what we do. Friends of the Earth Scotland is an independent Scottish charity SC003442.