BHF asks people to give up chocolate for charity
Melanie May | 2 February 2016 | News
The British Heart Foundation is asking people to go chocolate-free this March in a sponsored challenge to raise funds for heart research.
This is the second year for the DECHOX challenge, which asks people to give up everything with cocoa in it for one month. Last year, more than 19,000 people took part, raising nearly £800,000, and this year British Heart Foundation is hoping to raise £1 million.
Participants are asked to sign up on the charity’s DECHOX site, which automatically creates a JustGiving page for them. The site also offers a survival kit including tips and recipes to help people get through the month. In addition, this year the charity is challenging people to go a step further and take up the Ultimate DECHOX, giving up all sweet treats during March.
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According to a BHF poll, which questioned 2,000 people about their chocolate habits, 78% of people think about having a sweet treat at least once a day, with over half admitting to having eaten a share bag or large chocolate bar alone in one go. In addition, only 8% of people have ever been able to give up chocolate for a month with some not even lasting a day (5%).
Tracy Parker, BHF Heart Health Dietician, said:
“Whilst it’s only a bit of fun to challenge yourself to dump the chunk for one month, it could be a great way to get into better eating habits and the money raised through sponsorship will help fund vital research to help the 7 million people living with cardiovascular disease in the UK.”
- BHF asks the nation to give up chocolate for DECHOX in March (7 February 2018)
About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.