image/Tessa Ani Schiller

RAG week hits campus

The annual RAG week saw a return to campus during week 8, with all proceeds from the fundraising going towards Mind UK. The event raised £1,223.93 for the charity. 

The main aim of the fundraising week this year was to raise awareness about mental health.

This year, RAG took on various collaborations with other societies, holding many events including society workshops and daily evening events

The evening events included lip-sync battles as well as disco soup. Awareness of mental health was raised through discussion panels and documentary showings in the evenings too. 

Large socials were also held and people even volunteered to get pied on the piazza. Collection stalls were dotted around campus and manned by 150 volunteers.

One notable change in during this year’s fundraising week is the absence of mass gnoming. 

Event co-ordinator Tessa Ani Schiller explained: “I’ve had a couple people come up and ask about why we aren’t doing gnoming anymore as they really want to gnome their friends.

“Their reactions (of pranking their friends and getting them back) are exactly what we’re hoping to move away from with the new RAG Week system”. 

Another of the event co-ordinators, Shay Xioa Sicheng, commented: “We actually started RAG Week planning over the summer and it has been a lot, a lot of work since we’re doing something almost completely different from last year! 

“We’ve been throwing out all sorts of new ideas so it’s really exciting that everything’s coming together.  

“It’s really nice that what we’re doing are brings smiles to people…that really makes me feel like what we’ve been doing has paid off.”

Tessa added: RAG Week is nowhere near our biggest fundraiser, but it’s our highest profile event. We wanted to get out there and really break down the stigmas around mental health.” 

When asked about student support of RAG week, Tessa said: “It’s been mostly really positive.

“Warwick has an incredibly active fundraising student body and so sometimes you worry that we’re all getting desensitised, but as long as people are having a good time everyone’s willing to donate the odd bit of cash.

“I’d just say the best thing about RAG Week is the volunteers. Not every is super dedicated but the ones who are have carried Shay and I and the exec through what is an incredibly manic week.

“They were phenomenal and I cannot thank them enough. 

First year History student Jamie Jenkins, one of the volunteers, said: “I’ve really enjoyed the week, its been a great way to meet new people and have fun whilst raising money for such a worthwile cause“. 

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