Aug
Students and staff raise record amount for charity
Students and staff at the University of Southampton Students’ Union (SUSU) raised a total of £108,509.52 last year through the Union’s student-led fundraising group RAG (Raise and Give.
The 2013-14 total is a considerable increase from 2012-13 when £91,527.19 was raised.
The total sum was collected by 47 different groups, individual students and staff, and will be donated to 73 charities.
The grand total includes an amazing £29,549.86 raised by 16 adventurers who will be exploring the Inca Trail in Peru or doing a Gorilla Trek in Uganda this summer. This amount is split between Breast Cancer Campaign, Epilepsy Society and East African Playgrounds.
£15,940.11 was donated to RAG through a variety of fundraising ventures including The BIG Give campaign in March, and will be split between the three nominated charities: Wessex Heartbeat (£5,303.06), Motor Neurone Disease Association (£5,294.80) and Médecins Sans Frontières (£5,342.25). The chosen charities for the next academic year were voted for in May and will be Solent Mind, Teenage Cancer Trust and WaterAid.
RAG Officer 2013-14 Alice Gray said: “I have had an amazing time as RAG leader this year, everyone has been super supportive and keen to get involved. We have lots of new events like our Christmas market as well as successful annual ones like The BIG Give and speed-dating, and I’m just so thankful to everyone who helped raise the money or donated.”
Impressive amounts were also raised by the Islamic Society (£16,491.42), Hitch (£7,548.31) and Medical Society (£4,049.06). Other societies, schemes and events which collected donations to the total of more than £1000 include Christian Union, Jazzmanics, Cameroon Catalyst, Feminist Society, International Medics Society, SUPA Dance and Humanities Ball. Chris Nash, Pedro Cordero-Alvarez and Tom Wardle also al2l raised over £1000 each by running marathons and half-marathons.
Discussing the amount raised by students and staff at the university this year, former Vice President of Engagement, Claire Gilbert, said: “I am always impressed by the dedication to fundraising by students at Southampton. This total represents what we give to charity, but I can’t even begin to show the number of hours that go into planning, volunteering and promoting. It was an honour to work with so many incredible people and I hope they realise the impact this money has on so many lives. I look forward to donating to #TheBIGgive as a SUSU alumnus next year!”
Words: Howell Davies
Tags: RAG, Sans Fronti, Solent Mind, Teenage Cancer Trust