Armitage Shanks launches new charity campaign to celebrate 200 year anniversary

11th Jul 2015 in News

Armitage Shanks, along with its parent company Ideal Standard have launched a new charity aiming to raise £200,000 to celebrate its 200 year anniversary in 2017. The ‘Armitage Thanks’ campaign marks the run up to the company’s incredible 200 year anniversary and aims to support the local communities with a range of fundraising events and tasks.

40% of the money raised in the new initiative will be donated to Bowel and Cancer research, after being nominated by the firm’s staff members. The remainder of the money will go to local charities overseen by The Smile Foundation.

Armitage Shanks was founded in 1817 by Thomas Bond and has become one of the most successful sanitary pottery manufacturers in the world. In 1969 Armitage merged with competitor Shanks Holdings and created the iconic brand that we see today. Armitage Shanks is now owned by the Ideal Standard International group who is helping with the charity campaign.

Armitage Shanks employs over 300 people at its 4-acre manufacturing site and produces over 1.4 million pieces each year, including sanitary ware, bathroom fixtures and plumbing supplies.

Managing director of Ideal Standard UK Keith Boad told the press, “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,”

Adding, “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.

Deborah Gilbert, from Bowel & Cancer Research talked about the new initiative saying, “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.”

Employees of Armitage Shanks and Ideal Standard are already setting up an array of charity event including a team to take up the National Three Peaks Challenge, quiz nights and coffee mornings.

Here are some of our favourite Armitage Shanks products:

Armitage Shanks Airside Wall Hung Basin