Edinburgh Ceilidh kicks Corporate Bum!
Edinburgh University gave the new Corporate Power campaign a boost, raising £500 with a Corporate Villains themed Ceilidh. Esmi Freeman tells us more.
An idea is born…
A ‘Corporate Villain’ is imprisoned for her crimes
Image © Ric Lander
The story starts in a sweltering tent in Oxfordshire, summer 2008, and finishes on a bitter, icy night in Edinburgh, January 2009.
Our group of heroines from Edinburgh P&P were told about the new Corporate Power campaign that P&P national were running and how it was shamefully low on funds. In a moment of clarity and brainpower, during a workshop at the P&P Summer Gathering, they decided to return to a winning idea from January 2007 when Edinburgh P&P group had raised around £1000 for P&P national with a Pirate Themed Ceilidh (a Ceilidh - that’s pronounced kay-lee to those south of the border - is a Scottish barn dance!)
Villainous Intent
‘What theme can be linked to corporations?’ they asked. The answer was obvious: villains. ‘We’ll get all the villains of Edinburgh together in one room, take their money and use it to help return equilibrium - work against the corporate evils that have got the world into the mess it is at the moment!’
Ideas into action
It was a long and (slightly) arduous process of planning and organising and enjoying the flow of an idea into a reality. The room was booked for the Students’ Association Student Festival (so it was free!)
A friendly band of “goodies” acquired at cut price (due to being largely made up of members and past members of P&P), with helpful funding from the Student Association.
Feel Inspired?
Then now is the time to act! Corporate Power is a really important campaign, and the money you raise will be vital in making it truly effective. Check out more ideas for Corporate Power campaign fundraisers. You can also e-mail Louise or call 01865 245678 to discuss your plans.
Games such as “pin the devil’s tail on the corporate arse”, “poison apple bobbing” and a villains’ coconut shy were thought of and made in a big social day of creativity. Information on various villains (Phillip Green of Topshop, Tom McKillop of RBS) was written to let the Ceilidh-goers know more about the corporate “successes” of their fellow villains.
Corporate games: the coconut shy
Image © Ric Lander
Publicity was quite a simple affair, with everyone chipping in to put up colourful posters, a kindly free advert in the Student newspaper, a facebook group and cake stall which helped remind people to come along.
On the night
The night started and villains of all shapes and sizes trickled in and started dancing devilishly to the ceilidh music. During the interval they were kept amused by games of “rolling a coin at a bottle of fair trade Champaign” (amassing more P&P funds), masses of fair-trade raffle and costume prizes, and a sponsored jail where friends and enemies could be locked up for a small price (or a big one in the case of the Students Association president and former P&P convener Adam Ramsay, whose jailing raised an amazing £30!)
And the number 1 villain is…Pinky!
Image © Ric Lander
And the total is…
Why £500?
Due to the admin costs, groups wanting to raise funds for a specific campaign - like Corporate Power, or Climate Change - need to raise at least £500. Not only does this make up for the extra cost, it also makes an incredible contribution to your chosen campaign!
When it all came to an end, the lads and lasses of P&P counted up their ill-gotten gains and were happy to have made the £500 needed to tie their funds to the corporate power campaign. The general different contributions by all kinds of P&Pers and friends - from making delicious Baclava for the bakesale, practicing hard on the fiddle, making ‘arses’ or fetching the “jail” - meant that it was not scandalously difficult and everyone had a great time.
By Esmi Freeman, Edinburgh group, 9 Feb 2009
