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25 January is People & Planet's 'Don't Burns the Climate' Robert Burns Night celebration with a climate change theme. Host a Scottish meal complete with haggis/veggie haggis, poetry from the Scots legend, climate change campaigning, and raise money for People & Planet. Find out how...
Robert Burns wrote about poverty, oppression, egalitarianism, class inequalities and nature. What better life to celebrate with your People & Planet group?
On 25 January People & Planet groups all over the country will host ‘Don’t Burns the Climate’ Robert Burns Night Fundraiser meals. Celebrate the Scottish legend, raise awareness about climate change and raise some money for People & Planet.
What goes on on Burns Night?
Raise money for People & Planet with a Burns Night supper
Image © Copyright WDP Bravehearts
It’s all about celebrating the life of 18th century Scots poet and national icon Robert Burns. People & Planet are adding a climate change twist to the evening: you can call on guests not to ‘Burns the Climate’!
The main elements of the evening are haggis, Scotch whisky, a poem or two and much merriment. Traditionally the haggis (or veggie haggis if you prefer) is carried in to the sound of bagpipes followed by an ‘address to the haggis’ where Burns’s poetry is recited and the haggis ceremoniously cut open. The event ends with a singing of his famous song Auld Lang Syne. Your evening may also feature a soup, dessert and coffee course and a ‘toast to the lassies’ and ‘toast to the laddies’ where men and women present are invited to give their views on the opposite gender (always done in a humorous and inoffensive way!).
How to do it
- Decide who to invite - your event could be a social for your People & Planet group or you could book a room in the Students Union or Chaplaincy and publicise the event across campus
- Send out invites. Ask people to donate £5 - £10 to enjoy a delicious meal
- Find out about the format for the evening, practice your Burns poems and print out song lyrics
- Get some raffle prizes so you can raise a bit of extra money on the night
- Cook your meal. Menus usually feature a Scotch broth soup, haggis or veggie haggis with mashed neeps (turnip) and tatties (potatoes) and a Scottish desert like sherry trifle.
- Make a budget of what you expect to spend and how much you expect to raise. Take care to limit costs on food ingredients so that money you raise can be donated to People & Planet
- Think about how you can raise awareness about climate change on the night
- After the event send the money to People & Planet. Make out a cheque to ‘People & Planet’ and send to People & Planet, 51 Union St, Oxford, OX4 1JP or transfer the money online
A Taste of his poetry:
A Man’s A Man for A’ That (about poverty, oppression, and false conscience):
Tae a Moose (about nature: ‘I’m truely sorry man’s dominion Has broken Nature’s social union’)
Need a hand?
If you need help or ideas for planning your event then contact the fundraising team by email or phone Louise Cobb on 01865 245678.
Find your nearest haggis/vegetarian haggis stockist
