Memories from the RAG scrapbook

Crazy Stunts

In the late 80s, shivering students John Nolan, Martin Bell, Richard Tynan and Simon Benbow treated shoppers in St Sampson’s Square to a demonstration of synchronised swimming in a paddling pool, raising over £200. At the time, Martin said: “It’s pretty spectacular. It couldn’t have been more successful. We’re now hoping for Seoul ’88.”

Highlights of Rag Week 1988 included the Flan Fling, pyjama day, and the multi-legged bar crawl. The previous year netted over £22,000 for charity. Doing what students do best, Alcuin student Alison walker raised £60 by spending the day in bed outside Fenwicks – being the first in line for the January sales.

Extreme Measures

The 80s also saw Rag go to extreme measures to get donations. Kidnapping a cardboard cut-out of Emmerdale star Hugh Manning, students took it to York’s Viking Hotel where they demanded £1,000 or threatened to cut off the character’s fingers. They eventually settled for less.

Resurrection

In 1991, organisers of Rag’s 'Summer Spectacular' secured a sponsorship deal with Yorkshire Television. Events on the day, which used to be the biggest charity event of the year, included a celebrity football match, fairground, hot air balloon and helicopter rides.

'Summer Spectacular' had previously been a premier event organised by York Council up until 1986. Students resurrected the event in 1990, which had before been enjoyed by over 15, 000 people, raising finance and awareness for local charities.

The heavy rain didn’t stop people flocking in their thousands, with entertainment including tarot card reading and martial art demonstrations. Former Student Union president Amanda Kleeman, who organised the event, said at the time: “The number of people who have turned up is just overwhelming.”

One of the highlights of the day was a record-breaking display by York Fire Station’s White Watch. Using a combination of emergency cutting equipment and brute force, the cut a car into metre sections in 45 minutes.

Record Breakers

The year also saw 1,200 local schoolchildren and students break the world record for the largest human centipede in a field near the city. A previous attempt in 1988 could only attract a mere 418 – because the timing clashed with Neighbours. If just another 53 could have been dragged from their televisions, the record would have been broken!

Nevertheless, Rag has been noted for breaking several records – including the record for the largest number of people on a pillar-box in Parliament Street during the 70s, and the record for the largest greeting card in the UK – which measured 13 foot 8 inches by 20 foot 1 inches, broken in November 1988.

More recently in 2000, students got fired up to blaze a trail across hot coals. Participants were prepared to for two hours by motivational experts before striding onto the bed of red-hot coals.

Famous Faces

Rag has also attracted the attention of many a famous face over the years, including musician Phil Collins, who agreed to support York Rag Week 1989, alongside Esther Rantzen and Roy Castle.

Phil Collins

Other notable patrons include former Blue Peter presenter Anthea Turner, Loyd Grossman, Robert Kilroy-Silk, Gary Lineker, the one and only Chesney Hawkes, and Ranulph Fiennes – who when asked to be added to the list of patrons replied: “No problem. Go ahead so long as no activity of any sort by me is involved!" We think you missed the point Sir Ranulph.

With the event schedule packed for this year's week of fundraising, it looks like many more memories are set to be made.

Week 5 Event Schedule

Monday

• 10am-2pm: Charity fair and swap shop in Goodricke Hall- come support local charities and our beneficiaries!
• Evening event:Comedy night in The Edge, in conjunction with YUSU Ents

Tuesday

• 10am-2pm: Charity fair in Goodricke Hall.

Check out the RAG pancakes in most campus catering facilities!

• Evening event: Blagathon in Derwent – the colleges are pitted aginst one another in a battle of persuasion. Each of the reps has the tast of seeing how much stuff they can blag from places in York, the UK, and the world.

Wednesday

• Evening event: Ghost walk starting by the Yorvik centre, followed by a Murder Mystery in the York brewery.

Thursday

• Viking Raid – over 1,500 students take over York city centre.

Friday

• College RAG events followed by Planet V in conjunction with RAG.

Saturday

• RAG PARADE
• Evening Event: RAG bash in Derwent: AROUND THE WORLD

Make sure you check out the RAG cocktail being sold throughout all RAG evening events, and the RAG smoothie available from the Roger Kirk Centre.

TICKETS AVAILABLE IN YOUR:SHOP

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