YSTV’s annual Children in Need telethon is to be allowed to raise money for the charity this year, unlike last year’s event.
Due to ultra vires restrictions that prevent YUSU directly donating to other charities, YSTV was unable to send money off as part of the yearly programme. Many Students’ Unions face a similar problem as a result of the legal technicality that requires SUs to refrain from donating to external organisations if they are to receive nothing in return.
However, a loophole has enabled YSTV to work alongside RAG to raise money for the charity. YSTV’s Station Director, Steven Perring, spoke to Vision about the change, saying that the previous year YSTV was advised by YUSU that they couldn’t raise money as a result of YUSU’s charity status,”The novel way they came up with getting around it was ‘anti-fundraising’ – giving away money. So early this year I started to get in touch with YUSU, saying ‘we need to do this’. And in the end Nick [Scarlett, Student Activities Officer] confirmed about two weeks ago that we’d be able to get around it if we used the RAG thing as well.”
Vision contacted the Charities Commission to discuss the legalities of the event, who confirmed that the event would be allowed.
When told of this, Perring said: “it’s something that should happen, it’s something everyone knows should happen, it’s something people want to happen, but it’s being tied up by bureaucracy, I think that’s pretty much what it is. That’s a shame with many Students’ Unions that the student experience is being harmed by bureaucracy getting in the way, and that came up at the elections in YUSU as well.”
YSTV have held the Children in Need event for twenty-six years, and before ultra vires rules were in place would raise money for the charity. At its peak the event raised over £1,000, although the last time it was able to raise money, only £280 was donated by students to the charity. The show will be aired the day after the BBC telethon, on Saturday Week 6.
The event will be advertised as a collaborative YSTV and RAG event, similar to DanceSport’s York Come Dancing in previous years.
RAG’s usual operations involve solely raising money for the core charities, chosen through student vote at the beginning of the year. However they are also able to administer fundraising on behalf of societies, which in the past has included raising money for the Haiti disaster, and Comic Relief.
Student Activities Officer Nick Scarlett said of the event: “This telethon does not represent any change of our policy or approach to the ‘ultra vires’ issue. YSTV have been told they can host a telethon through which RAG can fundraise for Children In Need. Societies will always be able to collaborate with RAG so long as no society funds are used or given away and that the event in question develops its members.”
“This is an opportunity for YSTV to produce quality original television and to increase participation within its membership and also an exciting opportunity for RAG to support one of the nations favourite charity events.”