Richard Walker, Executive Chairman of Iceland, climbed Mount Everest!

On Tuesday 16th May Richard reached the summit of Everest at 8,849m / 29,031ft, with his climbing partner, Kenton Cool. Completing the climb in just over four weeks since leaving the UK is in itself, a remarkable achievement: the typical Everest expedition spends three months acclimatising and preparing for the final summit push.

They are raising vitally needed funds for the world's first Rare Dementia Support Centre. The expedition is entirely self-funded so all donations go directly to the project.

Richard knows how vitally important creating the world's first Rare Dementia Support Centre is, after experiencing the devastating impact of dementia on his family. His mother, the late Lady Walker, was diagnosed with young-onset Alzheimer's in 2011 and sadly died in 2021.

It was through this personal experience that Richard met Professor Nick Fox and learnt of his vision to create a centre that will exemplify how best to support people living with rare dementia. The centre will be the first of its kind in the world and will lead in the support and education of families, healthcare and other professionals.

Richard Walker, Executive Chairman, Iceland Foods said:

Over half of us are connected to someone living with dementia and my mum, the late Lady Walker, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's over a decade ago. I am grateful to take on this immense challenge in honour of her legacy, for our family and for the Iceland business. I am hugely grateful to all my Iceland Foods colleagues for standing shoulder-to-shoulder with me in raising critical funds and awareness to help prevent this disease from impacting so many.

"Having climbed to the North Col of Everest (7,020m) 12 years ago, I know that this certainly wont be easy, but I will be in the inspiring and hugely experienced company of Kenton Cool, who has already reached the top an incredible 16 times. I am determined to do everything I can to make the world's first Rare Dementia Support Centre a reality.

Professor Nick Fox, consultant neurologist and director of the Dementia Research Centre at the UCL Institute of Neurology, said:

We are incredibly grateful to Richard Walker for taking on this immense challenge and to all the team members at Iceland Foods for their very generous fundraising. Their amazing efforts will help create a state-of-the-art Rare Dementia Support Centre that will provide support and advice for those living with a young-onset or rare dementia and a space for pioneering research into these devastating conditions and also accelerate the search for effective treatments.

"The centre will have a substantial positive impact, providing specialist support that can't be found anywhere else. I was the clinician who treated the late Lady Walker following her diagnosis and I have been close to the Walker family for many years. I know how important this challenge is to Richard and wish him and Kenton the best of luck on their incredible expedition.

In support of Richard, more than 1,000 individual Iceland and The Food Warehouse stores will hold their own fundraising week during May, to help raise money for the world's first Rare Dementia Support Centre appeal.

Every donation, no matter what size, takes us closer to creating the new centre, so that many more people and their families can be supported through a very challenging time. Thank you.

If you're feeling energetic, why not join in the fundraising efforts by climbing your own virtual Everest?!

"Its not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves."

Sir Edmund Hillary

IFCF

Iceland Foods Charitable Foundation is a registered charity with a community of 30,000 passionate colleagues, all supporting our mission to make life better for people - resulting in £31 MILLION donated to date.

In our 50th anniversary year we are delighted to partner with The National Brain Appeal in creating the world's first Rare Dementia Support Centre. Since 2011 we have donated over £17million via our 'Dementia: Let's beat it!' campaign. We invested £10million in the ground-breaking UK Dementia Research Institute, due to open in 2024. Also £5m in Alzheimer's Research UK projects and £1.5m with Alzheimer's Society.

We know just how vitally important this new centre will be, and were keen to do all we can to raise funds and awareness to ensure this building is created. We sincerely hope many others will join us in supporting this appeal.

The National Brain Appeal

The National Brain Appeal (registered charity number 290173) is dedicated to transforming the lives of people affected by neurological conditions. The charity funds pioneering research, innovative treatments and world-class facilities at The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery and the UCL Institute of Neurology in Queen Square, London. Queen Square is the UKs leading centre of excellence for treating diseases of the brain, spine and the nervous system such as brain tumours, dementias, epilepsy, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease and stroke.

The charity funds Rare Dementia Support (RDS), a service that provides information, advice and support to people and their families living with rare dementias and is currently fundraising for the world's first Rare Dementia Support Centre to provide guidance, support and education, as well as being a space for research, artistic and cultural activities.