Viral ‘Downing Street Rave’ raises over £100k for homeless charity
The Facebook event mocking government lockdown parties has raised thousands for the housing charity Shelter
Scottish DJ Jon Mancini’s viral Facebook event "New Year Downing Street Rave" has raised over £100k for homeless charity Shelter.
The event was made as a joke to the news of government members partying during lockdown.
The Facebook page said: "No social distancing required. Bring who you like. Bring your own nibbles and drink,” and demanded, cheese and wine. Amongst the line-up, Boris Johnson was to headline alongside his ‘chums’, as per the event’s description.
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The description did disclaim: “Please note this event is not real and all just for humour and poking fun at the powers that be.”
Mancini was shocked at the result of his event page which reached over a million people and therefore he decided to use the platform to raise money for the charity Shelter.
In an announcement posted on Jon Mancini’s Facebook, after requesting people on the page donate a pound, he has managed to raise £104,867.
This announcement includes Mancini and others from the charity on a virtual call to thank all that have donated. You can watch it here.
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Taking to Facebook to give thanks, Mancini said: “A joke that went viral! 1.2m ppl signed up for a rave at Downing Street cause we were pissed off with Boris and his chums. We took the piss, the jokes were funny as fk, we vented our frustrations and we came together!
“Was there a way to get something good out of this if possible? “Help the Homeless” came to mind and all for the charity SHELTER, the justgiving page was started and it grew and grew….we asked if all of the 1.2m that we going to the Rave would donate £1.”
“But we did it, we did our target!! With Justgiving donations, TEXT donations and gift aid we were just over £100k.”
In a statement earlier this month, Shelter wrote: “We are absolutely blown away by the kindness and generosity of Jon Mancini and everyone who donated to his fundraiser over Christmas. Together you’ve raised over £100,000!
“These funds will help us continue to fight for everyone’s right to a home.”
Becky Buckle is Mixmag's Digital Intern, follow her on Twitter
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