LSE RAG launches event week

LSE’s Raising and Giving (RAG) society are planning their annual RAG Week from 10 to 14 February. It’s a week full of charitable and volunteering events including a Doctors Without Borders (MSF) Exhibition, a vintage clothes sale for charity, a speaker event with the head of fundraising for MSF, a cocktail and wine evening, The Big Charity Match, Ice Dip for Charity, AU Date Night, and much more. 

The society’s overall concept for this year is “RAG a la carte” and RAG Week is the “main course” in their menu. Through this initiative, RAG hopes to raise money for their local, national, and international charities with creative events and challenges. 

One of the differences in the project this year is the scheduling of AU Date night, which falls in Week 5, instead of during RAG Week. This year, the society is also encouraging other SU societies to plan and run their own initiatives, in a bid to rally more support from their members. 

RAG’s president, second-year International Social and Public Policy with Politics student Victoria Throen Longhi, hopes this project will motivate other societies in the SU to fundraise for charities that are meaningful to them. “A good example of this is LSE SU Gaming Society,” Longhi says, “fundraising for a foundation dedicated to allowing physically disabled gamers the opportunity to experience the inclusion and entertainment of video games.” She went on: “The thing is; many societies have a fundraising idea. RAG Week should be a nudge to execute this idea. We have reached out to societies flagging RAG Week to them and also launched a fundraising certificate in collaboration with our Activities and Development Officer, Jack Boyd, in the hope of creating momentum around fundraising on campus.”

When asked about its long-term goals, RAG revealed that they aspire to create a culture within LSE where societies challenge themselves to come up with original fundraising initiatives and ask, “What kind of charity would be meaningful to support?” 

They believe this would make students realise their potential to raise funds for causes that are important to them. RAG also hopes that this will serve as an opportunity for people to reflect on the charity sector, asking questions such as, “Why is there a need for charity? Does the need for a charity sector signal the healthy flourishing, or failure of a society? Why do individuals need to step up? What makes one charity effective and one harming?”

“I hope that societies gain from this initiative a bonding experience over fundraising” said Longhi, “and that they raise some funds for causes they care about.” 

RAG has 17 people on their committee this year, ranging from first years to master students, and has around 800 members. 

When asked about societies that have supported it during the academic year, RAG expressed its gratitude to “LSE SU Gaming, Netball, Bacchus, Cocktail, International Development, and Amnesty Society along with the LSE Athletics Union and Rowing Club.”

“We also extend thanks to the LSE Running society; they are taking on a 24hour relay,” they added.

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