Students raise money in style

Live @ the Catwalk event sees students raise over £1,300 through fashion, music and comedy.

Date: 30 April 2015

Students at London Metropolitan University have raised over £1,300 for charity through an evening of entertainment.

The London Met Fundraisers, made up of students from across the University, came together to host Live @ the Catwalk – a night of comedy, live music and fashion.

Held at the Backyard Comedy Club in Bethnal Green, Live @ the Catwalk raised more than £1,350 for global human rights charity Amnesty International.

Kyle Dougherty, an Events Management and PR student at London Met who choreographed the fashion show along with his colleagues, said: “After a long, stressful few months of preparation it finally all came together on the night and we couldn’t have been happier with how it went.

“Everyone pulled together and put on a fab night which I am really proud of!”

The night also included a grand charity auction and raffle finale. The team had stretched far and wide to collect donation prizes. Sponsors included Urban OutfittersKeystone HouseCheap Theatre Tickets, Bespoke Insight Media, and YouTube Space London.

Items up for grabs ranged from incredible £100 theatre tickets (Cheap Theatre Tickets), all the way to a very rare signed Boy George book (Concert Live), which alone sold for a whopping £200!

Nick Francis, a Film and Broadcast Production student who came up with ‘Live at the Catwalk’ last year when he was part of the award-winning Prince’s Trust Million Makers team, said: “We really raised the stakes this year, with more variety and even bigger sponsors.

“Our newly expanded team has given up so much of their time to see that we raised a lot of money for Amnesty International this year, following the success of last year’s fundraising team, and I can honestly say they outdid themselves.

“Everyone who came had a great time and students from across the University had an amazing opportunity to try things they’ve never done before and network with students and businesses they may have never otherwise met.

“I think this is what university should be about. Fundraising for a great cause and creating new experiences for your fellow students.”

The London Met fundraisers linked up with local designers and their very own student designers for the fashion show. Six different designers’ lines were modelled, including: Almost Famous, Utter Couture, Retro Village, Who Cares London, Be Bold Apparel, and the fashion show headliner, the University’s very own Project Red/Hush. 

Tahera Huda, Business Links and Placements Officer at London Met, said: “Every year we take on this kind of charity challenge not only to motivate students to add value to their CV but to also show that we are a institution that cares about giving back to charity, disadvantaged communities and supporting human rights across the world.”

Last year, students from London Metropolitan University were named the UK’s top fundraisers in a competition run by The Prince’s Trust. Over £2,000 was raised making a real difference to the lives of disadvantaged young people across the UK.