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It's 'Armitage Thanks' as brand launches new charity initiative to celebrate 200 year anniversary

In celebration of the 200th anniversary of Armitage Shanks, parent company Ideal Standard has launched a campaign to raise £200,000 for charity by the end of its bicentenary year, 2017.

The 'Armitage Thanks' initiative marks the run-up to the historic milestone of 200 years in business and aims to support charities and the local communities where Ideal Standard's three facilities are based, through fundraising events and activities.

A total of 40% of the cash raised from 2015 to the end of 2017, will be donated to Bowel & Cancer Research, the national charity chosen by its staff. The other 60% will go to local good causes, overseen by Hull charity, The Smile Foundation.

The company that became Armitage Shanks was founded in 1817 by Thomas Bond, in Armitage near Rugeley in Staffordshire, England. The Armitage 'sanitary pottery manufacture' became a successful UK toilet manufacturer and was Armitage Ware in 1907.

In 1969 Armitage merged with one of its competitors, Shanks Holdings, which was based at Barrhead near Glasgow, in Renfrewshire, Scotland - the merger of the two companies created the now globally famous brand name, Armitage Shanks, which is today, owned by Ideal Standard International.
Ideal Standard's UK facilities are split across three sites, with headquarters in Hull, East Yorkshire, one on the retained original site at Armitage from 1817, along with the furniture manufacturing site in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham.

The 40-acre manufacturing site at Armitage employs over 300 staff in a facility that produces more than 1.4 million pieces annually, including bathroom fixtures, sanitary ware and plumbing supplies - that are sold both in the UK and exported globally.

"Since the early years of the 19th century, Armitage Shanks products have been used, seen and welcomed by everyone from paupers to pop stars, in everywhere from pubs and palaces to major sporting stadiums and motorway service stations," says Keith Boad, managing director of Ideal Standard UK. "The bicentenary is truly an historic milestone for us and we are very proud, so we are going to mark it by saying a big 'Armitage Thanks' for supporting us over the last 200 years.

"Our aim is to help raise money to fund research into devastating diseases nationally, along with supporting our local communities and working with schools to educate and inspire future generations."

Deborah Gilbert, Chief Executive of Bowel & Cancer Research, saYS: "More than 41,000 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer each year in the UK. Our aim is to help change that. The nature of bowel disease means that people don't always talk about it and risk dying of embarrassment. The fact is, however, that bowel cancer claims lives and the support of an iconic company such as Ideal Standard, along with Armitage Shanks, is a fantastic boost. Not only will it help us to beat the disease, but its international profile will also help us to nail the 'loo taboo' and bring the reality of bowel cancer to the fore."

Ideal Standard has also committed to providing hundreds of paid hours over the next three years to Armitage Thanks. It will also provide seed funding for all the fundraising activities and operational costs to ensure every penny raised goes direct to charity and local good causes.

Employees are already embracing the initiative, lining-up a string of events including a 40-strong team for the National Three Peaks Challenge, a fashion show, quiz night and coffee mornings.

T: 0161 236 2277
E: [email protected]
W: www.ArmitageThanks.co.uk

10th July 2015