Charities Campaign
From sinner
| Charities Campaign | |
| Contact information | |
|---|---|
| President | Alex Dixon |
| Website | www.charities-campaign.org.uk |
Contents |
Introduction
The Charities Campaign is a subcommittee of the Students' Association and member of the Student Services Committee, whose remit is to facilitate, co-ordinate and generally encourage fundraising by St Andrews students. Activities organised specifically by the Campaign benefit its six nominated charities, which are chosen at the AGM in April by a vote to which all matriculated students are entitled. Its origins are much older than the Association itself, though it is difficult to pinpoint exactly where various fundraising initiatives were formalised into the Charities Campaign as we would recognise it today.
The Charities Campaign is the most successful individual fundraising group in St Andrews, having posted a record £76,943.08 total in April 2009 which also represents the Campaign's most successful year to date. The Campaign has enjoyed steady and significant growth in its profits every year since 2005.
Aims
To raise money for the Campaign's six nominated charities, chosen annually at the AGM in April, and other charities from time to time. To raise awareness for the nominated charities. To support, administer and generally encourage all other student fundraising groups in St Andrews
Meetings
General committee meetings are held on Mondays at 7.30pm in the Committee Room, top floor of the Students' Association. Other meetings for hitchhikes, RAG Week, general events and the rest of this mess are arranged at various other times and places.
Activities
The Charities Campaign traditionally co-ordinates a full schedule of fundraising events throughout the year, such as RAG Week (incorporating such nonsense as 'Mr St Andrews'), Bops, giant European hitchhikes, the 'Run with Rory' fun run and publicly demanding money off the Principal.
The other aspect of the Campaign's activities is street collections, in which a group of students - any number from two to 25 - descends on a city to shake buckets and spread the charity love.
Furthermore the Campaign makes significant efforts towards awareness-raising on behalf of its nominated charities.
RAG Week
The original festival of philanthropy; a week of revelry, charity, caffeine, alcohol, nudity, gambling, ceilidh, comedy, banter and gunge. Traditionally the second week of second semester and held largely within the Students' Association building, its mainstays include 'Mr St Andrews', a fashion show and some sort of Bop-based nonsense. RAG Week upholds a reputation of providing excellent variety and a welcome opportunity to kick off the new semester.
RAG Week 2009 is doubtless the most successful on record, netting £18,091.53.
Hitchhikes
The Charities Campaign has been co-ordinating sponsored hitchhikes since at least the early nineties, making it one of the oldest traditions of such events. No events were held between 2001 and 2006, when the concept was resurrected as Race2Paris 2006, which had 59 participants and raised c.£4350. Race2Paris 2007 had 178 racers and raised just over £15,000. Race2Amsterdam 2008 marked the pinnacle of St Andrean hitchhikes, featuring 214 racers who brought in over £21,000 for charity. The tradition continued as Race2Berlin 2009 in January 2009, providing the biggest and most mental race yet and netting over £25,000.
There are two other spin-off hitches, known as 'Jailbreak' and 'LOST'.
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