Iceland Foods celebrates raising £5m for Alzheimer's Research UK

The Iceland Foods Charitable Foundation (IFCF) is marking the huge achievement by supporting the charity’s annual Research Conference, which is taking place virtually this week from today (March 23) to Friday (March 26).

The two organisations have been working together for the past 10 years and the enormous amount raised has come from a wide range of activities.

This includes hosting Charity Weeks in-store for colleagues and customers to get involved, supplier golf days and the founder of Iceland Foods, Sir Malcolm Walker, even took on Mount Everest in support of the cause.

Iceland Foods £5m Iceland Foods Charity Week 2019

Most recently, IFCF helped rower Frank Rothwell to raise £1 million for Alzheimer's Research UK.

The 70-year-old rowed 3,000-miles solo across the Atlantic for Alzheimer's Research UK and IFCF doubled the first £500,000 of donations to Frank’s JustGiving page.

The £5 million raised is helping Alzheimer's Research UK to make much-needed progress in the search for a life-changing treatment for dementia.

There are almost one million people living with dementia in the UK today, and more than half of people know someone affected by the condition.

Sad senior lady alone in the dark room.

Despite this, there are no treatments to slow, stop or prevent the diseases, most commonly Alzheimer’s, that cause dementia.

IFCF has donated over £30 million to good causes in the UK.

Since 2010, IFCF has focussed on dementia charities, raising £17 million in total through its ‘Dementia: let’s beat it’ campaign.

Sir Malcolm Walker, founder and executive chairman of Iceland Foods, said: “I’m enormously proud of everyone at Iceland Foods – our colleagues, customers and suppliers – who have helped raise such a life-changing amount of money for Alzheimer's Research UK.

"Many of us have been touched by dementia in some way and are all too aware of the horrendous heartbreak the condition causes.

"The amount we’ve raised as an organisation shows how determined we are to help find a cure, so we can save other families from the devastation of dementia.

"It’s been a privilege to work with Alzheimer's Research UK over this time, and we look forward to continuing our support for the cause, so we can make those desperately-needed breakthroughs sooner.”

Hilary Evans, chief executive of Alzheimer's Research UK, said: “Thanks to the passionate and dedicated support from Iceland Foods Charitable Foundation, we are closer than ever to bringing about life-changing treatments for dementia.

"Words simply cannot describe how grateful we are to all those who have got involved in our partnership over the past decade, as their support will transform lives.

"People with dementia have been forced to wait too long for new treatments, but with the support of Iceland Foods Charitable Foundation, we are closer to being able to end that wait.

"We’ve loved every moment of our partnership and we’re excited to see where it takes us next."