Nestlé hands over £350,000 to Alzheimer’s Society

Nestlé UK and Ireland has raised £350,000 for its Charity of the Year 2011, Alzheimer's Society, exceeding its original target of £250,000.

The company's employees have spent the last 12 months working on a staggering number of fundraising activities.  These have included a site-to-site bicycle challenge between Nestlé sites from Girvan in Scotland to Croydon in Surrey, marathons, the Three Peaks Challenge and treks overseas.  The company also 'turned blue' in April, with staff dressed in blue wigs and clothes selling cakes and blue custard.

Jeremy Hughes, Chief Executive at Alzheimer's Society said:

'On behalf of everyone at Alzheimer's Society I would like to say a huge thank you to Nestlé for its generous support. Every penny raised will support people to live well with dementia today and fund research to find a cure for tomorrow.  Nestlé has also helped increase awareness of dementia and we are all extremely grateful for the time and energy they have put in.'

Paul Grimwood, CEO and Chairman of Nestlé UK & Ireland, said:

'I am proud that Nestlé employees have smashed our target.  The money will help fund Alzheimer's Society's National Dementia Helpline and valuable research into finding the cause and a cure for dementia which affects over 750,000 people in the UK.'

Highlights:

• Croydon staff raised money through quiz nights, football tournaments, wine-tasting evenings, raffles and a treasure hunt around the town
• Dalston factory employees organised the Nestlé Cappuccino ball raising over £13,000, and spent a day at their local Tesco store bag-packing
• A charity race day at Newcastle Races helped Fawdon factory with their fundraising efforts, and some employees went the extra mile by completing the Three Peaks Challenge
• Brave employees at Girvan raised money by climbing mountains, taking part in Nestlé's Site to Site Challenge and mountain balling
• Halifax staff raised more than £5,000 by hosting a Quality Street Ball
• Hayes employee, Dom Dalton, ran 250 miles from York to Croydon in four days
• A sponsored skydive was one of the ways the team at Tutbury factory helped raise their money. They also organised a summer ball and took part in the Derby 10k run
• York site held a host of events. These included a Halloween ball raising £10k, a competition to win a breakfast with Olympic diver and Team Nestlé member Tom Daley, giant Easter egg and chocolate shoe auction and a 'spinathon'

-Ends-

Notes to Editors:

About Alzheimer's Society:

• One in three people over 65 will die with dementia
• Alzheimer's Society research shows that 750,000 people in the UK have a form of dementia; more than half have Alzheimer's disease. By 2021 a million people will be living with dementia. This will soar to 1.7 million people by 2051 
• Alzheimer's Society champions the rights of people living with dementia and the millions of people who care for them
• Alzheimer's Society works in England, Wales and Northern Ireland 
• Alzheimer's Society supports people to live well with dementia today and funds research to find a cure for tomorrow. We rely on voluntary donations to continue our vital work. You can donate now by calling 0845 306 0898 or visiting alzheimers.org.uk
• Alzheimer's Society provides a National Dementia Helpline, the number is 0845 300 0336 or visit alzheimers.org.uk

About Nestlé

• Nestlé is one of the UK food industry's major exporters, exporting in excess of £260m worth of products each year to over 50 countries within the EU and the world
• Nestlé in the UK employs just over 6,500 people 
• Seventy Nestlé brands are sold in the UK