NORTHAMPTON, January 28th, 2010, Over £11,000 was raised over the course of 2009 by staff at Baxter Healthcare's national distribution centre in Northampton.

The cash was raised through a number of events held throughout the year including monthly dress down days, a fishing competition, mobile phone recycling and an office quiz.

The main fundraising push came in July when 16 staff from the centre took part in the Yorkshire 3 Peaks Challenge. The 25 mile circular walk took in the Yorkshire Dale peaks of Pen-Y-Ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough climbing some 5000 feet in under 12 hours.

Baxter Customer Operations Director, Alison Kirkpatrick, who runs the Northampton facility said, "Those taking part in the walk gave up their weekends for training and we had a great sense of achievement when we completed the walk. Throughout the year, the whole facility really took on this fundraising effort and I’m incredibly proud that we have managed to raise this amount to support this important association."

The Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association is based in Northampton and was chosen as the facility’s charity after the support it gave an employee whose husband suffered from the disease.

A cheque was presented to the charity in December. Ben Sharpe from the MND Association said, "We are so grateful for all the work that the Baxter team has put into raising such a magnificent amount. This contribution will help to ensure that we can continue to fund our dedicated support services and fund further vital research into finding effective treatments and eventually a cure for MND so I would like to say a huge thank you from everyone at the MND Association."