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A campaign group is asking balls to donate £1 from each ticket to charity

Corpus Christi Commemoration ball and many others have already signed up


One thing many of us can agree on is that it's often hard to see where all our ticket money goes for certain Oxford balls. I was promised a magical fairy land of debauchery where I’d meet my dazzling Prince Charming and be asked to join the Shadow Cabinet. What I got was weak vodka and coke in a plastic cup.

I suppose we accept balls aren’t entirely worth the money pound for pound, but we still attend, surrender our £85 (if we’re lucky) on the basis that it’s worth it for the ‘experience’, and our social calendar would be incomplete without them.

Enter new campaign group ‘What’s A Pound?’, headed by Catz student Lauren Blum. They’re asking ball committees to add just one more pound to their ticket prices, with the proceeds going to various charities.

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Quite rightly, Blum and her associates were distressed by the fortnightly crowds of youngsters decked out in white tie, flooding the same streets where so many live without a roof.

It's been a good effort so far from Corpus Christi College Commemoration Ball, Oxford Law Society Trinity Term Ball and the Sciences Ball all pledging interest. It doesn’t end here folks, they’ve got feelers out in Cambridge too.

The Varsity ski trip has already added £6 to their ticket prices, the proceeds going to Oxbridge RAG charities and Carbon Footprint Ltd. With the money from Varsity, the charity could make up to £18,000. First stop Oxbridge, hopefully next the world?

‘What’s A Pound?’ will donate to all kinds of sectors of charity work. In that instance, a pound from each ticket could really change the lives of those who haven’t been as fortunate as us. Of course, we don’t need a preaching on the exigencies of charity work. However, it is both humbling and empowering that with our extra £1s, that we won’t even feel, Blum and co are set to be doing something very exciting indeed.