Oxfam
Oxjam
Calling all music fans!
Most of us have heard of Oxfam. But what about Oxjam?
This is Oxfam’s month-long music festival, celebrated throughout October each year, with hundreds of events taking place around the UK, organised by music-loving volunteers who are closely in touch with their local music scene.
Volunteers are now being sought by the 4th of March, so you don’t have long to register. Contact the organisers today. They’ll send you an Oxjam Toolkit, filled with all the information you need to start envisioning, planning and promoting your event – including speaking to venues and booking bands. “Get all your mates involved”, they say, “get creative and make your event a success!”
Fatboy Slim is quoted as saying, “All you need to make an Oxjam event happen is a set of decks, a few choice tunes and a place to play them, so there’s really no excuse not to get involved”.
As with all Oxfam fundraising ventures the proceeds of the festival will help alleviate poverty and suffering around the world.
Celebrate Haiti
Giving for disasters tails off very quickly, as people forget the initial shock, but the survivors have to live with the consequences for long after.
Oxfam has been carrying out relief work in Haiti, for the last couple of years (and continues to do so) – yesterday, they reported that over half a million people are still homeless there, following what was said to be the third-largest earthquake in human history. Now, in the USA, a poster project (as part of the ‘Clinton/Bush Fund’) is encouraging school-kids to remember (and celebrate) those who are struggling to survive the aftermath of the disaster – lest their ongoing human misery be lost in the mists of the past. And even here, in my own local community, people whose families back in the Philippines were terribly affected by the recent storms (in which so many – often young – lives were lost, and homes swept away), continue to collect not just money but also used household items such as plates, cups, cutlery and cooking utensils, so that those who have lost everything can be assisted to start their lives over again. Generosity is far from dead – we just need to ensure that people don’t forget.
Getting involved
Just been checking out some of the events that the charity Oxfam is organising this year, particularly in the UK, where I live. Loads of opportunities to get involved:
- Trailwalker – a team fundraising event organised by the Gurkhas, that requires participants to cover 100Km across the South Downs in 30 hours or less;
- Trailtrekker – a similar event, run by volunteers, in the North of England;
- Water Week – encouraging young people to think about global issues, and become more responsible citizens;
- Big Zoom – for the under-fives, a chance to raise money using all kinds of wheeled vehicles;
- And in common with many other charities, Oxfam is supporting this year’s Gold Challenge – which includes an Olympic Sport Challenge, gym time-trials and a 2012Km challenge.
For information on these and other activities, go to http://www.oxfam.org.uk.
