What is BL RAG?
RAG, stands for Raise & Give and BL students are incredibly good at it! We are the best independent Medical School at fundraising in the UK. Over the last 8 years we have raised more than £ 1.5 million for charity.
Make sure you get involved!
Our first major collection push is our Crash Course for RAG. This is where students from older years take the first years out in London to show them how to collect Barts’ style! This is always a great day. There will be a prize for the top collector and celebrations in the union afterwards.
Through your hard work during our RAG week, we hope to raise over £100,000.
Top RAGGER 2008: “Rag week was the most intense, rewarding and exciting week of my first year. I woke up early every morning to go collecting before lectures and raised over £4,000. I recommend that everyone gives it a go. It’s fun and it gives you such a buzz.”
Everyone should give RAGging a go. Even if you are restricted in the time you can give, any contribution you make, collectively will make such a difference to the people who are touched by the work of the BL RAG charities.
Socially, RAG week is bigger than Freshers. Events include scrubs, shots and shaving foam, the beer race and RAG comedy and band nights. Soon after is the prestigious RAG ball where we announce who our top collectors are and our RAG total.
Through out the year BL RAG also supports other charity fundraising events.
Why get involved?
Not only, does the time you give by going collecting and taking part in RAG union nights go to fantastic causes, it provides a wealth of opportunities for you.
The money you raise during RAG week can provide you with charity places in the London Marathon. For any adrenaline junkies, there are also opportunities to go white water rafting, sky diving and trekking.
For Summer 2010, there will be a new program to assist students who raise money for RAG to find international volunteering placements. Watch this space! This year we are going to be holding our first charity Jailbreak. This is where you start in a charity jail and are sponsored per mile or border you cross in your battle to escape the furthest in 36 hours with zero pounds on your oyster and spending no money. It is an activity for the most daring and brave!
Over £25,000 pounds of our RAG total comes from the BLAS and PULSE fashion shows. Sign up at the Fresher’s Fayre and read BL messages to find out how you can get involved in these spectacular events.
Where does the RAG money go?
The money that you raise makes a huge difference to the lives of people across the globe. BL RAG money furthers medical research, improves medical care, helps give disadvantaged children stronger starts in life and contributes to targeted international development and humanitarian aid projects.
Charities we support include BIBIC (British Institute for Brain Injured Children), the Orchid Cancer Appeal, Barts and the London Charity, Breast Cancer Campaign, Macmillan Cancer, British Heart and Lung Foundation, London Air Ambulance and many, many more. Last year we raised £120,000. This didn’t happen by chance. It is due to your hard work, your enthusiasm and your time which you gave. We can do better. This is your RAG, and your achievement!