Bristol University students have raised a staggering £124,395 for charity this year, thanks to their innovative fundraising activities, also reaching the one million pound mark in 82 years of fundraising.

Bristol University’s student fundraising group, RAG, has helped fundraise for more than 100 local and national charities during its 82 years. Of the one million pounds raised to date, nearly a quarter has been raised in the past two years.

Some of RAG’s unusual and imaginative pursuits for charity include Jailbreak, whereby teams have to travel far as way from Bristol as they can for free. The current record holders and winners of RAG 2000 reached Arizona, USA, 5,190 miles away. Another is this year’s national Hogmoney street collection, which raised over £10,000 in three days for Cancer Research UK. Other events include overnight football tournament, balls, processions, slave auctions and a swapping contest challenging students to swap items for items of higher value.

These incredible achievements have helped benefit a number of charities, with funds being chanelled into numerous good causes such as research into cancer, leukaemia and meningitis and support for sufferers of these diseases. 

National charities that have benefited include Cancer Research UK, Breast Cancer Campaign, Breakthrough Breast Cancer, Meningitis Research, Meningitis UK, NSPCC, Tiny Lives Campaign, British Heart Foundation, CLIC Cancer Care, Anthony Nolan Trust, Marie Curie Cancer Care, Leukaemia Research and the Teenage Cancer Trust.

This year RAG generously donated nearly £20,000 to over 20 local Bristol charities, supporting many community ideas and initiatives. These vary from funding trips for homeless families and after-school clubs offering short-term therapeutic intervention for children to giving people with life-threatening illnesses the chance to fulfil a dream.

Huda Gamil, RAG Chair, said: “One million pounds is an incredible achievement, which is due to the hard work and effort of RAG volunteers, who have been committed from day one, giving up their spare time to fundraise for great causes. Their efforts have brightened and improved so many lives around the country, especially in Bristol.”