A few weeks back we hosted our second annual Roller Disco – Rolling for Refugees to raise money for the Refugee Assistance Appeal.
Blog by Caitlin MacMillan, Funding Development Volunteer
Rain poured down outside on the night 18 October – the night of our second annual Roller Disco – Rolling for Refugees. But that didn’t stop people from coming to Jumpin Jaks in Glasgow for some fundraising fun.
Upon arrival people were met by The RollerStop team, who were on board to kit out excited skaters in protective gear and brightly-coloured roller skates.
For many participants, our Roller Disco was the first time they had been back on skates since childhood, but any initial nerves were settled by the brilliant RollerStop staff, zooming around all night on their flashing skates to show us the ropes – and some fancy moves for the more natural skaters among us.
Great atmosphere
After just a few laps around the dance floor, and motivated by a fantastic playlist of retro tunes, skaters were whizzing around or at least laughing along with friends looking like Bambi on ice.
With the help of some disco balls, flashing lights and very enthusiastic participants, a great atmosphere was created, with everyone enjoying an alternative way to spend a Friday night in Glasgow.
Besides the rolling fun our raffle proved very popular with fantastic prizes from a variety of businesses in and around Glasgow, including a voucher for Café Andaluz, an authentic Spanish tapas restaurant for a relaxed evening of wining and dining. Another was a course of dances classes courtesy of Dance House Glasgow. For adventurers of all ages, Castle Semple offered a Family Activity Day pass to take part in water sports like canoeing and sailing.
After the raffle it was time to dance the night away. All for the good cause, of course.
The appeal
This year the proceeds of the event went to our Refugee Assistance Appeal, which seeks to meet the basic needs of destitute asylum seekers, providing them with food, clothing, advice, necessary travel expenses and emergency accommodation – “a life line”, as one caseworker describes the fund.
Our big screen film and information stall during the event, manned by a fantastic team of volunteers, raised awareness of the Refugee Assistance Appeal, as well as our on-going fundraising and community projects, how to get involved in volunteering with us, and how to donate to support the work of the Scottish Refugee Council
Thank you
On a final note, we would like to thank everyone who came along and made our Roller Disco unforgettable.
Whether you’d never skated before or loved to relive a childhood past time, the Scottish Refugee Council’s Roller Disco was a memorable, uplifting and fun-filled evening, as well as a great way to raise money for an even greater cause.
We hope to see you again next year!
