ICE-ecutive councillors from Brent were soaked in near-freezing water as part of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge charity fad sweeping the world.

Council leader Councillor Muhammed Butt joined three other members of his cabinet outside the Brent Civic Centre yesterday evening to have buckets of cold water sloshed over their heads.

The other victims were deputy council leader Councillor Michael Pavey, Councillor Roxanne Mashari, the cabinet member for employment and skills, and Councillor James Denselow, the cabinet member for stronger communities. They had been nominated by colleague Councillor Krupesh Hirani, the cabinet member for adults, health and wellbeing.

The quartet were raising money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association and had the water poured over them by council apprentices Mitchell Payne-Reid, 19, Dakota Agyako, 20, Rianna Cassie, 18, and Simone Belgrave, 22.

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Councillor Butt said: “The Ice Bucket Challenge has become a world-wide phenomenon and I am proud that my cabinet colleagues were up for the challenge.

“Caring for the most vulnerable in society is the top priority for this council and while, it was a fun and exhilarating thing to be a part of, we should remember that this is all designed to raise awareness of a hugely deserving cause.

“Motor neurone disease is a rapidly progressive and fatal disease, which can affect any adult at any time and can have a devastating impact on people’s lives, with suffers left unable to walk, talk or feed themselves.

“This is why we all agreed to take part and why I’d encourage as many people as possible to make a donation.”

Douglas Graham, director of fundraising for the MND Association said: “It’s fantastic that Brent Council has done the Ice Bucket Challenge for the MND Association.

"A massive thank you to them and everyone else who has got cold and wet for us so far.

“Last year in total we received 161,000 donations and in the last week alone we have had more than half a million donations adding up to more than £4.5 million and that’s still rising.

"The impact on our ability to fund research and support people with this cruel disease will be massive.

“Through our website or social media channels thousands of people have found out about ALS or MND.

"As a relatively rare disease raising awareness is almost as important as raising funds, so we couldn’t be more pleased.”      

while a director from Hounslow Council has also braved the bucket.

Other victims included a Hounslow pub manager and Chelsea FC striker Fernando Torres, who has been loaned to Italian side AC Milan for two years.

One of the journalists from our sister paper the Buckinghamshire Advertiser took part: http://www.getbucks.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/watch-bucks-advertiser-journalist-ice-7699724