Demon Media raise more than £1,000 as 'Gods of RAG'

Our resident student media group have raised more than £1,000 for charity with a Big Brother-style marathon broadcast.

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De Montfort Students’ Union (DSU)’s student media group have raised more than £1,000 for charity with a Big Brother-style marathon broadcast.

Demon Media crowned the ‘Gods of RAG’ on Saturday, after a 24-hour live show across YouTube, Facebook and DemonFM that saw seven teams – complete with togas – battle it out across a number of challenges and ‘stretch goals’.

The broadcast, from the Campus Centre on the De Montfort University (DMU) campus, has so far raised £1,295 for Cancer Research UK and Woodside Animal Centre – but there’s still time to donate.

Deepali Kansal is a third-year Media Production student and Events Coordinator for Demon Media and led organisation of the event.

“We had our first meeting back in November,” she said. “The idea [for Gods of RAG] popped into our heads as a joke at first, but we built it into a really solid theme.”

Deepali led the planning of the event alongside her final-year studies, but explained it was all worth it when the total money raised tipped over £1,000.

“Honestly, I was speechless,” she said. “A few hours before we reached [it] we didn’t think we were going to get there, even though we had goals for £1,000 and over, but when we found out we had hit that target the whole room went mad.”

Seven teams – complete with togas – took over the Function Rooms in the Campus Centre for the marathon broadcast over the weekend.

The ‘stretch goals’ saw Editor of The Demon Darius Whitmore have his head shaved live on air, while one brave first-year student, Rob Fitzpatrick, promised to have the Demon Media logo tattooed onto his body.

“[He] definitely can’t drop out of Demon [Media] now,” Deepali laughed.

But it was Léonie Mayer and Alice Arnold, both first-year Media Production students, who were crowned champions after a grueling 24 hours on screen.

Alice said: “I’m so pleased that after the long hours we won, however, that’s not what the live stream was about.

“Demon Media members gave up blood, sweat, tears and a whole lot of sleep to raise the amazing money we did, and I am so proud to be a part of that!

“I know that no matter how hard it was, none of us would have changed a thing because of how much the money will impact two fantastic charities.”

Meanwhile, Léonie explained: “I’m so glad I was able to take part in Raise and Give (RAG) with some amazing fellow ‘Demons’ whilst also raising a huge amount of money.

“I’m so pleased to have made it the whole 24 hours, and to be announced as the winners was the cherry on the cake!”

Alice (left) and Léonie (right) were crowned champions after a grueling 24 hours on screen.

But completing 24 hours’ worth of challenges wasn’t the only test – streaming to both Facebook and YouTube while broadcasting live across Leicester on DemonFM was its own trial for a huge team of technicians behind-the-scenes.

Tom Evers is a second-year Forensic Science student at DMU, and his role as Lead Technician for DemonFM meant he was in charge of maintaining more than 100 items of technical equipment – on just two hours of sleep.

“I was there at 7:30am in the morning for set-up on Friday and left at about 7pm on Saturday,” he said. “But it was all worth it!”

“One of the best parts for me was when everything fitted into place and all the equipment was working, coming from a drawing of the room and a list of [equipment], to actually pressing ‘live’. It was both a big relief and a highlight of the weekend for me.

“There are a massive amount of people involved behind-the-scenes; from camera operators; directors; people on audio; vision mixers; even people running to just make sure all of the batteries are charged and loaded.

“But the best part is when you change over from a team who are tired to a new team full of energy; it’s a real relief.”

Deepali concluded: “I want to thank the whole of Demon Media, who were all so dedicated despite having loads of exams and deadlines, as well as Abi Gibson and Holly Androlia who both played a huge role in helping me organise this event.

“Lot of people stayed awake for so long for an amazing cause, and it was great to see so many people come together for one goal.”

Donations are still open for both Cancer Research UK and Woodside Animal Centre, with the total currently standing at an incredible £1,295.

The total raised by Demon Media’s Gods of RAG currently stands at £1,295 – but there’s still time to donate.