STAFF and customers of Iceland Foods have passed the £1m mark in their fundraising efforts for a national charity.
Iceland, founded by chief executive Huddersfield-born Malcolm Walker, pictured below, has raised the seven-figure sum for Alzheimer’s Research UK, the firm’s charity of the year.
Iceland’s relationship with the charity was launched in February – and hit a high when Mr Walker climbed 23,000ft to the North Col of Mount Everest in May.
That inspired Iceland staff to take up their own fundraising challenges, culminating in a national charity week across 750 UK stores – including ones at Aspley and Trinity Street in Huddersfield.
Some 22,000 staff took part in events, including darts and football tournaments, music nights, pirate-themed parties and a mass climb of Snowdon.
Iceland customers also donated to push the total past the £1m last month.
Mr Walker said: “I am immensely proud of the inventiveness and commitment that Iceland’s people have shown in raising the amazing total of more than a million pounds for Alzheimer’s Research UK.
“This terrible disease has directly affected the families of so many of our staff and customers throughout the country and they have responded magnificently to the challenge of raising funds to assist the search for a cure.”
Rebecca Wood, chief executive of Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “The money raised makes a major contribution to UK dementia research, supporting studies into early-onset Alzheimer’s which strikes people at such tragically young ages.”
