Tuesday 5th December was International Volunteers Day and here at Christ Church Students’ Union, we celebrated the inspiring work done by our hundreds of student from Club and Society committee members to the official fundraising body of Christ Church Students’ Union, Raise & Give (RaG).
Over £6445 has been raised through charity collections at events so far this year, from dance shows to space hopper bounces. Many local charities have benefited from the students efforts including Pilgrims Hospice, TAG Pet Rescue, Porchlight and Canterbury Umbrella Centre, for who Men's Hockey raised an impressive £1011 with a sponsored head shave.
Cancer support charities, MacMillan, Cancer Research and the Lymphoma Association, are national charities being supported with donations topping £1411 already. And each year RaG organise BIG Challenges abroad giving students opportunities to raise money for global charities, volunteering in communities in need, all whilst having a unique overseas experience in an amazing environment.
Over 40 students have signed up to participate already this year and are set to top their fundraising target of £70,000 by the end of the academic year. Students choose from building playgrounds in Uganda, taking care of elephants in Thailand, teaching in India or Nepal to climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.
Our clubs and societies love having fun whilst fundraising and this is exemplified by Men's Football and Dance Society jointly raising £684.20 for the Bobby Moore fund and Cancer Research with their "Come Dance with Me" event and Pole Fitness raised £439.63 for Lymphoma Association with their Tinder Me Out event.
And in January, Christ Church Students’ Union will be launching a new Volunteering website, matching up charities and volunteers and enabling students to log hours spent in helping in the community.
To sign off here's a video from our latest Canterbury Puppy Day which raised £291.