// Gymshark donates more than £180,000 to NHS charities for the coronavirus pandemic
// Gym-goers now exercising at home uploaded a “sweaty selfie” to help Gymshark reach the target
Gymshark has donated more than £180,000 for NHS charities which support women’s and children’s hospital services amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The online sportswear retailer announced last month it would donate £5 each time someone exercising at home during lockdown posted a “sweaty selfie” to its social media feeds.
The Solihull-based firm, which has more than four million followers on its main Instagram account, hit on the idea of £5 donations for every photo uploaded with the hashtag #NHSSweatySelfie to raise cash for charities supporting Birmingham’s Women’s and Children’s Hospitals.
READ MORE: Gymshark pledges £175,000 donation to NHS charities
Further funds were raised via a JustGiving page, which allowed those posting selfies to match donations being made by Gymshark.
Gymshark’s original target was to was raise £175,000.
The retailer’s founder Ben Francis, whose mother is a nurse, created Gymshark in 2012 when he was just 19 by using his parents’ garage as a base.
“The charity is very close to my heart as my mum is one of the nurses on the front line at the QE in Birmingham,” he said.
“These amazing people are risking their lives every day to help us all through these challenging times and we wanted to try and do our part to help.”
Francis added: “It was a lofty target, but every day I’m astonished at the spirit of our Gymshark community.
“I thank every single person who put on their gear and got their sweat on for such an amazing cause.”
with PA Wires
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