Dan Walker: TV presenter "amazed" at £26,000 from business for The Sheffield 1000 charity

TV presenter Dan Walker used his star power to raise £26,000 for charity at a fundraiser in Sheffield.

The Channel 5 newsreader urged a gathering of businesspeople to each pledge £1,000 for The Sheffield 1000, which donates to good causes every week.

Thirteen raised their hands, raising an instant £13,000. The sum was matched by Westfield Health, taking the total to £26,000.

Dan, who fronted the event at the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel at Meadowhead, said he was “amazed.”

He added: “I was expecting one or two hands to go up. To get 13 people and raise £26,000 for charities in Sheffield is amazing. I’m very thankful, hopefully it’s the start of something very special.”

The Sheffield 1000 was set up in 2022 urging people to donate £1-a-week. Today, there are 600 subscribers and the charity has paid out £22,000 to 22 charities.

The corporate event was a bid to ‘supercharge’ funding, Dan said.

He added: “I’m an honorary Yorkshireman, I love the place and love how people are so proud of it. This money goes directly to people in Sheffield. In an ideal world we wouldn’t have to be here.”

Dave Capper, chief executive of Westfield Health, said they were prepared to match up to 50 pledges of £1,000 to create a £100,000 pot to allow the charity to continue its “fantastic work.”

Meadowhall boss Darren Pearce was one of the 13 who pledged £1,000.

He said tackling inequality in Sheffield was one of their priorities.

He added: “Meadowhall exists at the heart of the community. The Sheffield 1000 is a great fit for us.”

The charity is also supported by businesses including Addooco, Veezu, Sovereign Wealth, BRM Solicitors.

Go to https://thesheffield1000.org/