How the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge started

The Internet is awash with viral videos of the rich and famous dousing themselves with buckets of ice cold water to raise money for charity, but how did this strange and amusing trend start? Unless you have been living in a cave, you cannot have failed to have noticed a spate of videos of billionaire business moguls, sportsmen even former Presidents tipping buckets of freezing water over themselves. The action is aimed at raising money for research into ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a form of motor neurone disease) and in the UK to raise money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association and Macmillan Cancer Support. But braving freezing water is not enough, a small donation is also expected and so far #icebucketchallenge has raised more than £13.8 million for charity. After an icy soaking the participant then nominates two or three further people to undertake the challenge within 24 hours. Those who forfeit the challenge must donate a larger sum of money to a good cause. The success of the chall