The latest famous name to join this campaign’s illustrious roll call was Homer Simpson, and it’s thought that over $100 million has been raised since its humble beginnings when one Charles Kennedy, a golfer from Florida, stepped up to a friend’s challenge to pour ice over his head in exchange for a donation to the charity his choice. Kennedy chose ALS because his cousin is a sufferer of the disease, and the rest – as they say – is history in the making.

Google ‘ALS Ice Bucket Challenge’ and you’ll find pages and pages (and pages and pages and PAGES) of news and videos on this global phenomenon, including hilarious ‘Ice Bucket Fails’ as well as some very sad tales of challenges gone badly wrong, and of the accidental death of one of the challenge’s key founders. If you use Facebook it’s likely to be a similar story – our feeds have been stacked up for days with videos of friends and friends-of-friends cheerfully addressing the camera before having a bucket of water unceremoniously dumped over their heads.

Having worked with quite a few charities (including St. Richard’s Hospice who regularly look after people with MND) we’re naturally interested in the viral aspect of this challenge. But many have started to criticise the campaign for losing sight of its original intention, and with its star-studded roll call of celebrities jumping on the Ice Bucket bandwagon, it’s no wonder people all over the world are keen to nominate and get nominated, eager to be the next ones to be filmed, drenched and posted on Facebook.

The problem as I see it is that once nominated for the challenge you are given 24 hours to post your own drenching on social media or face the ‘forfeit’ of donating to charity. And with everyone from Leonardo Di Caprio to Patrick Stewart, Cara Delevingne and even Lady Gaga accepting the challenge there seems to be a greater impetus to follow the celebs and take part in the drenching than simply and modestly donating some dosh.

Of course, people partaking in the challenge will make the point that they have also donated money, urging others to do the same – a response to several media outfits branding the whole thing a ‘popularity contest’ that’s more about getting likes on Facebook, or self-promotion, than raising some money for charity.

Much as it’s tempting on this balmy (!) August morning to frolic under a bucket of icy water, we’re going to spare you all the spectacle and just get on with donating some money. You can donate to the Motor Neurone Disease Association too, by texting ICED55 followed by an amount (such as £5) to 70070.