A Birmingham sign-makers is to support Diabetes UK in 2012 after one of their founders become the fourth person connected with the firm to be diagnosed with the condition.

Bowden and Dolphin’s Peter Bowden, who founded the Bordesley Green company in 1959, joins a group of diabetic employees past and present, which includes workshop manager Mick Bergin, whose brother John donated a kidney to him in 2004.

Mr Bergin organised a fundraising event for the renal ward at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital shortly after his transplant, and brought in more than £8,000 which was spent on equipment for people undergoing transplant surgery.

And he is eager to do the same next year, with the company’s support, after learning of Mr Bowden’s diagnosis.

Company director Jamie Bowden said: “We have some very close personal connections with diabetes here and will be doing as much as we can to help people with the condition.