LOST raises thousands of pounds for Leamington Spa charity

On February 22 and 23 Warwick Jailbreak and Warwick Raising and Giving (RAG) societies collaborated to participate in LOST, raising over £4000 for the Bath Place Community Venture in Leamington Spa.

21 groups of between two and five people were dropped by coach at a secret location and given 36 hours to get back to the university campus without spending any money.

After being blindfolded for the entire journey, the secret location was revealed to be South Stack Lighthouse in Holyhead, Anglesey, Wales, almost 200 miles away from Warwick Campus

The winning team made it back to campus in just under five hours.

Harriet Mitchell, a first year English Literature undergraduate, who along with first year Mathematics undergraduate, Tommy Ridges, won the challenge said: “The weekend was a lot of fun, we met some lovely people who gave us lifts and we got to know the service stations between here and Anglesey pretty well!”

Ms Mitchell continued: “I’d recommend it to anyone.”

All groups made it back by the Sunday morning.

Sponsored by family and friends, the participants were helping to raise money to redevelop the remains of the buildings of the Bath Place Community Venture that were burnt down in 2009.

In total, LOST had raised £4128.04 by the start of the event, one and a half times more than their original target of £2750.

This will help contribute to the £1 million renovations of the South Leamington community centre that previously helped the homeless and the young.

Harrison Gould, the president of the Warwick Jailbreak society, when asked if he was pleased with the money raised, said: “Yes, definitely, it was over £1000 more than we expected!”

Warwick Jailbreak’s biggest charity event will be this November, when students have to get as far away from campus as possible in 36 hours.

Last year the event raised £20,000 for charity.