Student-run charity events raise £90,000 in a year

Fundraising activities by Oxford University students have raised more than £90,000 for charity during the past year.

Raise and Give (RAG), Oxford University Student Union’s fundraising arm, organises charity events and supports students in Junior Common Rooms across Oxford to organise their own events. Events last year included hitch hikes, sports tournaments, a ball, and the sale of roses for Valentine's Day.

Four charities were selected as main recipients of the money raised in an all-student election: these are The Against Malaria Foundation, Oxford Crisis Skylight, Jacari and Helen & Douglas House. These charities received £9,000 each, with the remaining money going to a range of other charities.

Sarah Santhosham, Oxford University Student Union vice president for charities and community, said: 'We ran a number of new events, such as Cycle the Cape and Jailbreak, while keeping our annual favourites, from the RAG Ball to Oxford's Got Talent, and over the next year we've got an even greater range of events in the pipe line. Every penny fundraised goes to supporting the vital work of charities which students have selected.

'It has been wonderful to hear from the charities to explain where the funds will go: from covering the costs to tutor 300 local school children for four months, to protecting 6,300 people from malaria, to providing art materials for a year's worth of classes for homeless people in Oxford.'

Events over the coming term include a charity skydive, summer parties and a dodgeball competition. Students who want to get involved can visit the RAG website. Many Oxford students are also very involved in Oxford Hub, a focal point for student volunteering and social action in Oxford

RAG raised £91,725 during the 2012-13 financial year - an increase on the £150,000 raised during the previous two financial years.