Robert Gordon University (RGU) Event Management students have raised over £100k for local charities by hosting a number of events across the city.
Groups of students from RGU’s Aberdeen Business School have been working with various local charities to host a roster of events to raise much needed funds and awareness as part of their final year project – The Main Event.
This year’s group of students raised a total of £33,000 which takes the overall total to a massive £100,000 since The Main Event launched in 2014.
12 groups of students worked with 12 local charities to host the events, which included an abseil down the RGU Library Tower and a drive-in movie night at Pittodrie, over the past few months.
Aaron McIntosh, course leader for Events Management at RGU’s Aberdeen Business School, said: “The 2016 Main Events have been a fantastic success for our students and their charity partners, taking us over a significant milestone in fundraising for causes in the North-East.
“The groups displayed a tremendous amount of effort and ability in conceptualising and delivering such a variety of creative and highly successful events.
“The Main Event project has enabled our 4th year students to apply all of the learning from their studies at RGU, demonstrating their understanding of the practical aspects of event management via the planning, delivery and evaluation of the live events. The collaboration between academic staff and charity mentors in supporting the students has also been a hugely positive aspect of the project.
“As well as the total of nearly £33,000 this year, the students have raised awareness for their causes in a range of ways, through securing press coverage and new supporters for the charities, and in working with a range of venues, suppliers and performers. We're very proud of what the students have been able to achieve."
The Main Event involves each group of students being allocated a charity to design an event template for, which is then gifted to the charity - allowing them to run it in future years – along with all the proceeds raised from the event.
Events hosted include; a ‘Fairytale Family Fun Day’ raising funds for VSA; a ‘Daffodil Drive-In’ cinema held for Marie Curie; ‘Charlie’s Ultimate Game Show’ raised cash for Charlie House; ‘Dazzled to a Tea’ was held in aid of Archie and a 'Survive the Wild' event for Befriend a Child.
The city has also seen many more student-run events including; an Easter cake off for Drugs Action; ‘Alice’s Wonderlunch’ for Aberlour; an abseil challenge from the RGU Library Tower in aid of Cornerstone; an open air cinema night for Inspire; a charity quiz night for Cyrenians; a football tournament called Kick It! For Clan and a ceilidh night raised funds for Make a Wish.