Students fundraise for Japanese victims

Warwick students have been fundraising across campus in support of the relief effort for victims of the Japanese earthquake.

Members of the Japanese society and the Raising and Giving (RAG) society accompanied by other students, have taken part in a variety of fundraising efforts. So far they have been able to raise approximately £8000 in aid. The primary method of raising money has been through bucket collection, with volunteers collecting funds in various locations including the piazza, Arts Centre and Cannon Park Shopping Centre, throughout the week.

The reasons why students decided to help fundraise were varied. Some students said they had been affected by the earthquake. One student said that he decided to join the charity effort as he is from Yamagata Prefecture (within the affected area), and a friend is missing. Others are helping in solidarity with Japanese students, and some just want to help a good cause.

First-year English student Rebecca McCormick said that it was a “worthy cause” that would hopefully make a “practical and positive difference” in helping those “worst affected” by the disaster. This feeling was echoed by Joel Kendrick, a first-year Mathematics student, who added that ‘its good to see such a large number of volunteers helping the cause, and that it is “nice… [that] so many people care”.

The student’s action has been received positively by both Warwick University and the Students’ Union. A representative from the University commented that ‘we are happy to support and draw attention’ to the fundraising’, but pointed out that – due to ultra vires laws – ‘the University is precluded’ from fundraising itself.

Societies Officer Andy White said that he was “absolutely amazed by how well” the societies have done, and pointed out that they managed to raise almost £3000 in a single day. While the Students’ Union is also prohibited from fundraising by law, it is helping to publicise the fundraising effort, and the “finance office is helping” to count and bank the money collected.

The earthquake in question was a 9.0 magnitude earthquake that occurred 14.46 local time on March 9. The epicentre of the quake was 81 miles off of the coast of the Oshika Peninsula, near Sendai. The earthquake caused a tsunami which devastated much of northern Japan, and affected several other countries. There is also an ongoing nuclear incident at the Fukushima nuclear plant, which is leaking radiation into the surrounding area. At the time of writing, there have been over 4000 deaths, with 8000 people still missing, but the figures are expected to rise.

Further events have been planned by the societies in order to raise more funds, including a concert, although according to one of the volunteers “there are no firm plans at the moment”.