Let's face it, most people who volunteer are passionate about helping people - but for some influencing social change is also important. Volunteering for a campaigning organisation allows volunteers to help make things happen for large charities. Find out what the grass roots activists get up to here.

All | Isabel | Helen | Rachael | Carolynn | Moira

« Previous day (May 4, 2006) | Main | Next day (May 6, 2006) »

Thursday May 04, 2006

Anti-BNP rally

I am so tired that I can't actually feel the lower half of my body. And considering I have spent the last 11 hours on my feet that is no exaggeration. But, bloody hell, today has been worth it.

Today [April 29th] was the day of our Love Music Hate Racism Rally in Trafalgar square. Its aim was to explain to people the threat that the BNP pose to our society and to encourage people not to vote for them in the up and coming elections as well as raising money for the cost of the even and future events. I also helped out at this event last year, my first ever event volunteering for LMHR.

The day began, rather traumatically, at 7am. Up bright and early, I met friends at 9, and we hopped onto the district line from Upney to Embankment and short walk from there to Trafalgar square for our stewards meeting at 10:30. (Although it wasn't quite as simple as this as a short excursion, which should have been 2 tube stops took 6! Grrr.. engineering works. ) So, slightly distressed, we arrived at Trafalgar Square 15 minutes late.

Soon after we arrived (and tried to stifle our excitement about the fact Belle and Sebastian were sound checking on stage!) we had a short meeting just to let everyone know what we would do in the event of an emergency, why the event was taking place and what we would all be doing. We were all put into groups depending how we were helping on the day – some were on stalls, some were helping backstage, some were stewarding, some were collecting donations. Our group as with last year (which included me, Frances, Leah, Kirsty a few of her friends from school (Mira, Kafiya, Miriam) our group leaders Pheobe and Jess as well as any random helpers who were about when we needed help!) were on the stalls! The next thing to do was set up our stall. This basically  meant carrying (dragging.. ) lots of boxes from the van to our stall and then from there to another place.. and another place.. and another place.. until they decided they were happy with were it was and then putting out all the Merch - T-shirts, badges and pamphlets - making it look pretty! We so won at this! All stalls paled in comparison to ours! =D Then all we had to do was wait about for everybody to start flooding in and have a laugh..

And it really is a laugh. . Even if it is hard work and you get tired after a while .. especially after 11 hours WITHOUT a chair.  All the people we work with are incredibly awesome. Being on a stall basically just involves selling people the merch, giving out information and talking to people  - especially all the randomers that come along who this year included funky dancing lady, two men dressed elvis style, and a town crier! In fact the only people who weren't at all friendly were one of bands who performed  - The Paddingtons. Everyone going in and out of the backstage area donated by throwing some change into our donations bucket as they went past but.. no.. They were too good for that! They just laughed at us and walked past! At which point Kafiya called them all anorexics and got given the finger. The lead singer even demanded that someone go find some gaffer tape for his shoe and expected her to put it on his shoe for him and then walked off when she refused! How rude huh? There are some even dodgier backstage stories about them but I wont tell them here.. All of the rest of the bands were ace though! We got to go off every now and again into the crowd to see whichever bands we wanted to see. The band of the day had to be the Metro riots. They were only on for about 10 minutes but their set was amazing. Their sound was so big it managed to fill the entire square and get everyone dancing. They've been ace every time I've seen them and they are incredibly nice guys too. Another high point band wise were Boy Kill Boy who invoked mass sing-alongs and Lethal Bizzle who even got the indie kids excited with his version of 22 Grand Job.

About half 6 we started packing up as everyone began to disappear into the crowd for the last band of the day – Belle and Sebastian. They were great! We didn't manage to get our whole group to the front so we moved away from the stage and danced around, our collection bucket in the middle, with anybody who decided to join us! Much fun! As soon as it was finished we conga lined back to to our stalls to serve the massive crowds which had left the stage and swamped us!

After another two hours or so of running about and getting whatever people wanted we finally started putting everything away until next year! And judging by the success and the amount of money we took this year (About 5 times the year before by my judgement!) we'll be able to put on something even bigger and better!  At last when we'd hugged everyone goodbye and almost everyone else had gone home we left Trafalgar square, at 9pm, exhausted, and much in need of some food! That way everybody – there's a Pizza hut!!!!!!

Posted by Carolynn ( 12:23 PM )
Link to this post Comments[3]

Why volunteer?

There is such a thing as a selfless good deed. Whilst working as a Support Assistant with people with mental health needs after graduating I spent many a cold, dark Wednesday drinking milky Nescafe in a draughty café, where grease dripped from the walls and the old Italian owner scratched his bacon fat ridden crotch with his yellowy grey stained fist, watching the time creep further and further into my evening, listening to client tell me for the fourth time in 3 hours about her chronic depression and short time amnesia (not a good combination for a support worker to contend with, think about it). I garnered no virtuous sentiments. 

My current situation differs somewhat. I have, indeed, embarked upon a stint not just as a volunteer but, specifically, as an intern. What is this, exactly? An opportunity I, like so many graduates hankered after for career and learning opportunities, to attain skills and be given responsibilities? Or is an intern just a bit of polite rhetoric used when an office has a back log of photocopying and wants someone to do a three month tea run?

Actually, there is a pretty fair distribution of tea making around the press office of Shelter, the housing and homeless charity I where I will be working for the next three months. And I’ve hardly been near the photocopier.

Having told my wealthy friends (the money driven ones, who are happy to spend 8 hours a day auditing large company’s accounts in order to ensure that their pay packet exceeds 30k a year) that I would be working for no pay for 3 months, they were horrified. But, to be honest, a degree in English and Communications qualifies you for sod all. It furnishes you with the ability to read quickly and sporadically and talk nonsense with conviction.  A career in the media beckons.

And there are a variety of ways to furnish oneself with sufficient experience to become a press officer for a charity.  But learning from the inside, understanding the issues and campaigns, the structures and processes is, I believe, the best one. One Million children in Britain today grow up in housing that is in terrible condition, temporary or overcrowded. Three months of my life to help that cause whilst learning vital skills seems pretty fair to me. 

Posted by Rachael ( 12:12 PM )
Link to this post Comments[0]

My charity

The Charity for which I volunteer, Love Music Hate Racism, are a charity who work to promote good community race relations and to campaign against and make people aware of the threat of fascist organisations such as the BNP. I often contribute to organised events such as gigs, carnivals and help to leaflet my local area and have been doing so since for around a year.

I kind of fell into volunterring really - I first became involved with Love Music Hate Racism when I heard that an artist who I am a fan of was performing in Trafalgar square as part of the yearly May Day rally in Trafalgar square. I, and a small group of friends decided we would attend and phoned up for more information but instead ended up offering our services for the day! We spent the day running around helping to set up, selling t-shirts and badges, handing out information and talking to the public and whatever else needed to be done! It was an incredibly rewarding experience and we have continued to help ever since.

I really get a lot of out what I do. My volunteering experience has given me a lot of opportunities, career wise – (It has given me contacts with quite a few people I may work with in the future) and has allowed me to do things I didn't think I would accomplish - all while helping a good cause. I've gained life skills, my confidence has increased greatly and I've met one of my idols as well as lots of other lovely people. I have a lot of fun as well as having something to put on my C.V for future employers to look at. I hope reading this blog will encourage you to find something you could do which would give you a similarly gratifying experience.

I plan to continue working for Love Music Hate Racism for as long as I can am currently looking forward to my second May Day Rally in Trafalgar square this Saturday.

Posted by Carolynn ( 11:59 AM )
Link to this post Comments[0]

About me

My name is Rachael Orr, I am 22 and I have just moved to London from bonnie Scotland, where I grew up.

I spent 3 fantastic years at University in Liverpool, where I acquired a degree in English and Communications, a wealth of academic knowledge(!), and the ability to speak Scouse – always a unique and highly desirable party piece. 

Currently, I am working voluntarily through the day and in a theatre bar in the evenings so free time is a valuable commodity and seems to be wasted doing boring but necessary things like food shopping. When I'm working respectable hours I try to spend a good deal of time drinking and listening to live music, and telling myself that it isn't bad for me as I go running regularly.

I love the theatre but not the ticket prices; and believe the best possible way to spend a Saturday afternoon is going to Tynecastle Park, Edinburgh to watch Heart of Midlothian Football Club (who are currently on course for second place league finish, Champions League qualification and a Scottish Cup win).

 

Posted by Rachael ( 11:53 AM )
Link to this post Comments[1]

Hello there

Well hello there! I’m Carolynn and I will be using this space to write about my experiences volunteering for the organisation Love Music Hate racism. I’m 16 and still at school, working towards taking my GCSE’s this summer, (A rather scary experience!). When I’m not working and revising hard(!) I can often be found exploring various areas of London, at a gig, or in my room listening to music and playing my guitar.

Posted by Carolynn ( 11:23 AM )
Link to this post Comments[1]