RAG week chaos over alcohol delivery

During last week’s period of fundraising by the Raising and Giving (RAG) society, issues were raised over food and drink deliveries- especially the serving of alcohol.

Concerns were brought to light about serving alcohol to lecturers, as well as University regulations on the consumption of food and drink in lecture halls.

RAG had originally intended that students be able to purchase alcohol from them, but were unable to due to licensing restrictions.

The RAG society consequently introduced a Bring Your Own Booze policy, where students can personally buy sealed containers of alcohol and RAG would deliver these items, without breaching licensing laws.

However, current University regulations also ban the consumption of food and drink in Centrally Timetabled Rooms. This matter has been taken to the Union, who commented on the success of RAG week, which raised a total of £4,447.42 for charitable organisations last year.

The policy document passed in council stated the belief that the lecture deliveries are one of the most successful elements of RAG Week in terms of fundraising ability.

The Union has resolved to mandate the Societies Officer to lobby the University to suspend regulations regarding the ban on consumption of food and drink in Centrally Timetabled Rooms during RAG Week each year. A decision by the University has yet to be reached.

Ant Scott, the RAG President commented on the Union’s role in RAG week, stating that there has been a “problem with serving alcohol but the Union has been really supportive, especially Chris Luck and Matt Rogers who dropped everything to help out”.

There was much of the usual success connected to RAG Week this term. RAG Week helpers have been active on campus, delivering strange objects to lectures and carrying out the infamous ‘gnomings’, all in the hope of raising money for charity.

Tom Shaw, the ‘Commander in Chief’ of RAG Week, said that Domino’s Pizza have provided individual pizzas and that Warwick Glee did a fantastic job of serenading people.

“The Daily Special gnomings are a big hit,” he added. ‘Gnoming’ involves being covered in flour, water, beans and possibly shaving foam, whilst being tied to a tree with cling film. Shaw estimated that around £400 was raised on Monday alone.

Options on the RAG menu included King Gnoming and having various items delivered to lectures from campus eating establishments, with anything from red roses to boxes of chocolates being delivered throughout the week.

In addition, lecturers received lap dances from RAG helpers dressed as animals. Wednesday’s special event saw students making world record attempts in the Atrium of the SU.

Further fundraising efforts included an all-you-can-eat pizza event, scavenger hunts and a RAG pub quiz, a special Traffic Light TOP B, and a POP! gunge tank special.

The RAG Society operates throughout the year raising money for charity through the Monday pub quizzes and ‘raids’, where helpers in fancy dress spend the day in a local city attempting to raise as much money for excellent causes as possible.