Ice Ice Baby!

02 September 2014 by Lucie Chilton in General

With a bucket chilling at the ready, Defero Communications took on the latest fundraising phenomenon - the Ice Bucket Challenge.

The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has been the latest viral campaign to sweep social media in 2014. The challenge originated in America and with the help of many celebrities taking part has been a huge success across the globe, helping raise money for ALS Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and the British equivalent MND Motor Neurone Disease with other charities also benefiting.

The challenge originated as the act of pouring an ice-cold bucket of water upon the nominated person momentarily shocks the nerves and simulates a similar feeling to what somebody suffering from MND experiences. To keep the chain going, the video is posted to social media and others are nominated to undertake the challenge.

If anyone ever doubted the power of social media for charity campaigns, they need look no further than the results from the Ice Bucket Challenge. Pre-campaign, the MND Association would receive on average £200,000 a week in donations. From 22 to 29 August, it received £2.7m and in two weeks has raised the equivalent of almost 6 months income. Challenges are still being held and donations are continuing to be collected, but so far the charity has raised an outstanding £6m.

Other charities that have benefited include Macmillan Cancer who has raised £3m and Water Aid who received £47,000 in one day from donators worried of wasted water – demonstrated by Matt Damon (co-founder of Water.org) using toilet water instead of clean water for his challenge.  

Undoubtedly, there hasn’t been a craze with this much celebrity involvement (even Homer Simpson had his turn) in a while, which definitely helped to kick the campaign off and gain momentum. With Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube feeds complying of hourly videos and #ALSIceBucketChallenge trending for days, there’s no denying the positive effect the campaign has had on raising awareness and vital funds for the well deserved charities.

We have donated to MND and chosen charity Naomi House & Jacksplace.

To donate:

• Text ICED55 £5 (or other amount) to 70070
• Visit the MND Just Giving page (put in link) or
• Call 01604 611860 referencing the 'Ice Bucket Challenge'.

To watch the video click here!