Deloitte’s Charity Challenge raises £1 million

239 Deloitte staff, including 25 partners, took part in four challenges across four continents in June and July 2015, raising £1 million for its charity partners, Alzheimer’s Society, Mind and Prostate Cancer UK.

The challenges included summiting Kilimanjaro, completing a tri-x in Borneo, climbing Mulhacén in mainland Spain and scaling one of the world’s most active volcanoes, Cotopaxi in Ecuador.

The £1 million target, reached yesterday, was raised by over 10,543 sponsors and includes over £250,000 matched funding by Deloitte, the largest the firm has ever provided. The Charity Challenge has been Deloitte’s biggest fundraising event to date and brings the total raised for its national charity partners to £2.5 million, exceeding the £2 million target set in 2013.

David Sproul, Deloitte chief executive and senior partner, said: “We are thrilled to have reached our £1 million target for the Charity Challenge and immensely proud of everyone who undertook extreme personal challenges to support Alzheimer’s Society, Prostate Cancer UK and Mind. The funds raised will have a huge impact in helping our charity partners to expand on the excellent work they are already doing across the UK.”

Over 600 people supported the participants with fundraising events held at Deloitte’s offices in the UK, including a ‘Deloitte Dances’ showcase judged by celebrity guest and Mind ambassador, Frankie Bridge. Seventy members of the Deloitte Knitters network also spent over 1,700 hours knitting 160 bobble hats for Charity Challenge participants.

Paul Farmer, Chief Executive of Mind says: "Thanks to Deloitte's phenomenal support we have been able to grow our Infoline, a vital support for many people facing a mental health problem. We've also been able to install information points in our shops helping us to reach thousands more people who need us.

"It is initiatives like Deloitte's Charity Challenge, helping to raise vital funds, that will enable us to reach a point where anyone feels able to ask for help and can access the support they need as soon as they do.

"A huge thank you to everyone who continues to help us make the partnership such a huge success."

Jeremy Hughes, Chief Executive of Alzheimer’s Society, and Owen Sharp, Chief Executive of Prostate Cancer UK say: “Hitting the £1 million target through the Deloitte Charity Challenge is a fantastic result for the partnership so far and we’ve all been inspired by the energy and goodwill of Deloitte’s staff, with their amazing fundraising efforts.

“We are incredibly proud of everything that’s been accomplished – from fundraising to pro bono support, and it’s exciting to think what we can achieve with Deloitte next year. Together, we will get vital support and services to thousands affected by dementia, mental health problems and prostate cancer.”

With support from Deloitte, Mind can answer an additional 24,000 calls though the Infoline and distribute more than 80,000 information booklets, allowing the charity to support people in need through their charity shops. The funds will also help Alzheimer’s Society is funding eight Doctoral Training Centres across the UK to support 53 new PHD students and clinical fellows. Prostate Cancer UK is using the funds to run its awareness raising programmes across the country, engaging in conversations with men and women about prostate cancer.