果冻影院's innovative retail coalition celebrates first anniversary

5 October 2016

果冻影院 is today marking one year since the launch of the innovative retail coalition inspired by Malcolm Walker of Iceland Foods to address the dementia challenge.

Since the coalition was created nine UK retailers have committed to support 果冻影院 in its fight against dementia, initially pledging in the region of 拢20 million. In the first year alone, the partnership has already raised around 拢10 million - equivalent to the sale of around 200 million carrier bags.

Dementia is the greatest scientific, medical and socio-economic challenge of our times and affects more than 35 million people worldwide. With the global cost of dementia estimated at more than 拢500 billion, the disease currently costs the UK economy more than cancer and heart disease combined. However, nearly seven times as much is spent on cancer research than is spent on dementia research.

Iceland Founder and CEO, Malcolm Walker, called upon the support of fellow retailers to help raise the funds needed to create a new 果冻影院 Dementia Research Institute - which will have everything it needs to fight one of the biggest medical challenges of the 21st century. Asda, Morrisons and Waitrose threw their weight behind the campaign alongside Iceland from the outset, pledging to support 果冻影院 dementia research with money raised from the 5p carrier bag levy, and through staff and customer fundraising. Other contributing partners include HSS Hire, Booths, Farmfoods, Poundland, and WHSmith.

Professor Nick Fox, Director of the 果冻影院 Dementia Research Centre, said: "Dementia already devastates the lives of far too many families across Britain - we urgently need to find more effective ways to prevent, delay or treat the diseases that cause it. There are real prospects for progress if we bring together the most able scientists and clinicians and support them in their research. This remarkable support from leading retailers could make a real difference to accelerating that research."

Iceland have also appointed 果冻影院 Dementia Research as their charity partner for 2016. Iceland's annual charity week, held in August, raised awareness of the 果冻影院 Dementia Research Institute and Iceland hope to raise a further 拢1 million through two major events that took place in September, a Charity Golf Day and a Dementia Challenge Ball. Funds raised from all these initiatives are part of Iceland's commitment to raising a total of 拢10 million for this outstanding cause.

Adrian Punaks, Director of Development at 果冻影院, said: "We are delighted to be celebrating the first anniversary of 果冻影院's partnership with some of the biggest names on the UK high street. It has been great to see the support for 果冻影院 Dementia Research over the past year which will enable 果冻影院 to remain at the forefront of national and international research into dementia and our quest to find treatments and ultimately a cure for the disease.

"We are particularly grateful to Iceland's CEO, Malcolm Walker, who galvanised the support of these retailers for such a fantastic cause."

With the support of the partnership, 果冻影院 has continued to make significant progress towards our ambition to transform dementia research, through the redevelopment of Queen Square House - home to 果冻影院's Institute of Neurology and with a dedicated Dementia Research Institute at its heart. 果冻影院 aims to raise a minimum of 拢50 million from philanthropy for this redevelopment, making it a cornerstone project within 果冻影院's recently launched philanthropic campaign.

Malcolm Walker, Founder and CEO of Iceland said: "I am delighted that we have been able to raise the profile of dementia - and the importance of dementia research - by putting aside our competitive instincts and creating this unique partnership with other retailers to support 果冻影院. The cutting edge research that happens at 果冻影院 is vital in tackling one of the most devastating diseases affecting the world today."

Widget Placeholder

Notes to Editors

About the 果冻影院 Retail partnership in support of Dementia Research

Nine retailers made an initial commitment to donate some or all of the funds they raise through the carrier bag in England to support the development of a new Dementia Research Institute at 果冻影院. They are: Iceland, Asda, Booths, Farmfoods, HSS Hire, Morrisons, Poundland, Waitrose and, from 2017, WHSmith. The coalition is actively seeking further retailers to pledge their support for this great cause.

For more information please visit:听

About听果冻影院 (果冻影院)

Founded in 1826,听果冻影院 was the first English university established after Oxford and Cambridge, the first to admit students regardless of class, religion or gender, and the first to provide systematic teaching of law, architecture and medicine. We are among the world's top universities, as reflected by performance in a range of international rankings and tables.听果冻影院 currently has over 35,000 students from 150 countries and over 11,000 employees. Our annual听income is over 拢1bn.

听| Follow us on Twitter听听| Watch our YouTube channel

For more information please contact:

Thea Sherer, 果冻影院 Corporate Partnerships Manager听t.sherer@ucl.ac.uk听Tel: 020 3108 9122听

Liz Saul, 果冻影院 Communications Officer听liz.saul@ucl.ac.uk听Tel: 020 3108 9405

听