Joy as charity Ice Bucket Challenge raises £7m

Motor neurone disease sufferer Andy Spriggs, 66, was invited by the Motor Neurone Disease Association to a celebration at the British Medical Association headquarters in London on Thursday February 12.

HRH Princess Anne was also among the guests who hailed the £7m raised in the UK by those taking part in the Ice Bucket Challenge last year.

Andy explained that £5m of the money raised will go towards research looking for a cause and a cure for motor neurone disease, as well as opening up day centres and employing more nurses.

He said: “The Ice Bucket Challenge was a fantastic thing that really snowballed. It took off in America, came across here and raised a fantastic sum of money.

“It raised awareness for MND so a lot more people know about the disease, and The Theory of Everything film has kept it in the public eye.

“On top of that, the ALS society in the States raised $200m. That is a big chunk of money that will be pushed into research.”

Andy was joined at the reception by his daughter Jo, his nephew Chris, who has pushed Andy and his wheelchair in two marathons, and Chris’ wife Hannah.

Other celebrity guests at the reception included theatre star Michael Ball, who was master of ceremonies and Jon Lee of S Club 7 whose father is living with the disease.

The Ice Bucket Challenge was a social phenomenon that saw millions of people around the world pour icy water over their heads before sharing the video clip on the internet, all in the name of charity.