Coventry 4 Good Champion Rachael Mackintosh has raised an amazing £232.87 for Coventry 4 Good by organising recent music night Skank Out at The Golden Cross. Rachael persuaded a number of Coventry’s dj’s and hip-hop artists to give their time for free, to help raise money for local good causes. VAC’s Volunteering Service Supervisor Lucy Bergonzi caught up with Rachael to ask her about Skank Out, and about her first few months as Coventry 4 Good Champion.
Rachael said “I organised Skank Out as part of my assessed work for my Business & Event Management course at Warwickshire College. I had to plan an event and I decided to do it as a fundraiser for Coventry 4 Good. It was tiring to organise, but it was really good – I think the best part about it was being there on the night; the doormen collected the money and the artists did their thing, and I got to enjoy it as I’d done all the hard work already. My tutor was there and she enjoyed it, and best of all I got a distinction which I am really really happy about.
I think part of the reason Skank Out was successful was because it was Coventry artists raising money for a Coventry charity. I think people can be reluctant to give to bigger charities – perhaps they feel a lot of the money doesn’t go to the right people.
Being Coventry 4 Good Champion has been rewarding. I’m the type of person who thinks your value as a person isn’t based on material things – it’s about doing good. Everything I’ve done for Coventry 4 Good has been enjoyable, it’s not like work. The arts and crafts projects we did were just up my street, and I’ve met people of all ages, cultures and backgrounds.
I definitely think volunteering is a good thing to do – if you have the time to do it, then do it. Or if you don’t have much time you can get involved for just 5 minutes in one of Coventry 4 Good’s activities and projects.”
Lucy said: “A huge thank you to Rachael for all her hard work on behalf of Coventry 4 Good, and for the money she has raised; we’re so grateful. We’re very proud of her, and we are looking forward to the next project we will do together!”
