Red Nose Mania
“Fantastic” response to Red Nose Day across campuses at University of Greenwich
Students and staff rose to the challenge to “do something a bit silly” on 16 March, the day the country comes together to tackle poverty.
Student Centre staff at the Greenwich campus won the prize for biggest wig. The team looked like the cast of Star Trek, casually typing away wearing a pair of giant red eyebrows or dealing with a student query in a sparkly Cleopatra hair-do.
Diane Lowe at the Medway Student Centre reported that Father Christmas had been pressed into selling noses – “Well he’s red, isn’t he?” – while staff at the Avery Hill centre decorated the room and looked silly. People across the university seemed to think Red Nose Day was an excuse to stuff themselves with cakes, especially in the School of Humanities which raised £186 with its red nose cakes, and staff in Recruitment & Admissions who raised £70 at Civic House in Woolwich.
Greenwich staff were cock-a-hoop at their success: “We raised £400 at one go by touring the campus, selling noses and asking for donations,” said Information Officer Moira Graham. “I tell people it’s for underprivileged children and please give what you can.” Colleague Naz Alam adds: “A lot of students have never heard of Red Nose Day but when you explain it’s to help people in Africa who are really poor, and disadvantaged communities in the UK, they give money.” With the raffle as well, the team had raised £800 by lunch time.
Bwalya Treasure, Mentoring & Volunteering Coordinator, who is the inspiration behind the university’s efforts, says: “We are going to get way above the target of £1,000 we were aiming for. The response from students and staff has been fantastic. Even the children in the university nursery raised money by making flapjacks – with a bit of help.”
Red Nose Day is Britain’s biggest TV fund-raising event, organised every two years by Comic Relief, the charity set up by comedians to bring change through entertainment.
For images and information contact:
Hester Brown
Press Officer
University of Greenwich
Tel: 020 8331 7663
hester.brown@gre.ac.uk