Booming bass, flashing lights, jangling pianos… help for children at risk!

Last weekend about 50 of Oxford’s music-loving 20-somethings helped to raise money for children at risk by going to a rather unusual house party....


“It all began when I bought a smoke machine back in January… you can’t have a smoke machine and not scheme about how to use it!” says self-titled ‘Event Organiser’ Chris Swinburne. “And since we know so many people who are musical and in local bands, it seemed a great idea to have a kind of house party event that could showcase that.”


Featuring local acts such as The Kid Steel, Drake’s Drum and Charlie Mike Sierra (look and listen below, in the video!) playing a mix of covers and original tunes, and collecting over £50 for Viva, it really raised the bar for the average house party. “We just charged a small entry fee, more of a suggested donation really, so it was very low-key,” Chris explains. “But it seemed a great way to turn a fun evening into something more meaningful too.” The Number 8 housemates transformed their living room with blackout curtains, a full lighting rig, the infamous smoke machine and even a live TV link for those in other parts of the house!
Ears still ringing, guests trooped out at around 1am offering parting comments like “completely brilliant” “best house party ever” and “so, when’s the next one?!”

“We’d definitely do it again,” Chris enthuses. “I loved every minute of it. Perhaps in the summer we could make it a whole street party…” So, if you’re an Oxford resident keep your eye on Headington to see if Number 8’s neighbours can be convinced! For everyone else, no matter where you live, why not start brainstorming about how you could do some FUNdraising for children at risk?