Proceeds from wristband sales will benefit cancer patients and hospices

Strathclyde Police joined forces with the Old Firm to launch their latest weapon in the fight against sectarianism in April this year.

About 50,000 blue and green wristbands, which read "Say No to Sectarianism" were distributed to 200 schools.

The bands will go on public sale at the end of this month with proceeds going to cancer patients and hospices.

They will be made available in 11 hospices across Scotland and some supermarket stores.

Popular appeal

Strathclyde Police said the bands had been phenomenally successful since their launch and it had struggled to keep up with the demand from the public.

The force said the new scheme would help spread the anti-sectarian message it had been trying to promote, and benefit the association and its work.

Chief Superintendent Kenny Scott, who helped devise the scheme, said: "We had 50,000 wristbands initially and they were very popular with children and adults alike and we really couldn't satisfy the demand.

"We've had a tremendous amount of inquiries from adults.

I'm hoping every hospice in Scotland benefits and cancer patients across the country will benefit Sam Lavery Scottish Hospice Association

"I would say without doubt that the Scottish Hospice Association have got a ready-made market there and a substantial one at that."

The Scottish Hospice Association came up with the idea of utilising the bands' popularity to help raise funds after spotting their success since their introduction.

Its chairman Sam Lavery hopes they will help add up to �300,000 to its funds.

He said: "Myself and a colleague from St Andrews Hospice in Airdrie approached both the police and the Scottish Executive to ask them where they were taking the Say No To Sectarianism wristband initiative.

"It had obviously been very successful, but we wondered if it was about to peter out.

Carrying the torch

"We suggested to them that the hospice movement might be allowed to carry the torch to take the wristbands and to offer them for donations to the public across Scotland.

"I'm hoping every hospice in Scotland benefits and cancer patients across the country will benefit.

"We also realise that the vast majority of our supporters, the vast majority of the Scottish people have nothing to do with sectarianism, they don't want anything to do with it."

Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson, who will launch the scheme, welcomed the ability of those who made a stand against bigotry to reach out to help cancer sufferers.