Warwick students fast for charity

Following a tradition of the past few years, a 24-hour long fast with the purpose of raising awareness and funds for children in need is taking place on campus again. Fast 24 will be held on November 2 in the Students’ Union (SU) Atrium and is organised by Warwick UNICEF on Campus.

The fast is undertaken by volunteers from the University of Warwick who are also raising money online and in person in advance of the event. For them, no food or beverage is allowed for 24 hours apart from water, because of health and safety reasons.

All students can visit the Atrium on the day of the event to stop by. There will be performances by various societies, a movie screening and students will also have a chance to make donations.

Fast 24 will get started in the evening of November 1 after a “last supper” before the long day, followed by a speaker’s night in the Mathematics and Statistics building. The presentations will be around topics such as the effects of war and poverty on children’s development and the role of humanitarian action in the improvement of their conditions.

The speaker’s night will feature a presenter from the University of Warwick, Cathia Jenainati, Head of Department of School for Cross-faculty Studies and Regional Coordinators of UNICEF UK’s On Campus framework Yanhua Ou and Zara Mahmood.

On November 2, from noon onwards, several societies such as Music Theatre Warwick, Warwick Gaana Dance Society, Warwick Clarinet Choir and Warwick Magic, amongst others, will perform in the Atrium.

There will also be a quiz, henna painting, arts and crafts and an opportunity to talk to fellow students involved.

The Fast 24 project started off at the University of Warwick under the name “Mission 24” in 2012. The project expanded quickly and is now being organised on a yearly basis at various universities across the United Kingdom.

Last year nearly £8,000 were raised at Warwick, the biggest amount of money raised in the history of Fast 24’s.

All the donations received by the end of this year’s Fast 24 will support UNICEF’s emergency appeal focusing on children affected by the ongoing conflict in East-Ukraine.

The appeal requires US$23,599,000 worth of funding in 2018.