'Congateers’ attempt longest distance conga to help street children
19 Aug 2015
Anyone travelling along the A6 in Manchester on Saturday, 5 September will be in for a treat as a group of volunteers attempt to break the world record for longest distance danced in a conga line
The event is organised by Change the Lives UK, a Manchester-based, charitable not-for-profit organisation who have been passionately fundraising for three years to raise funds and awareness to help children who live on the railway in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
As well as attempting a world record that currently stands at 3.4 miles, their ultimate goal is to raise £3000 for the running of a drop-in centre to provide sustainable care for these children who, through abandonment or otherwise, live on the railway. The attempt has been officially approved by Guinness.
Helping the charity to organise the event is Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences Lecturer in Developmental Psychology, Dr Ming Wai Wan, who commented: "Fundraising as a small, unknown charity for a cause that is not relevant to most people in Manchester poses a real challenge. So, a unique fundraising idea that captures the imagination can potentially make a huge difference.
“We hope that organising this world record attempt at longest distance conga will not only get us in the record book, but above all, raise funds to help children who live on the railway in Dhaka, Bangladesh through providing care, education, medical care and counselling.
"I've been a volunteer member of Change the Lives UK, the UK arm of this charity. I'm a developmental psychologist, but you don't need to be one to be aware of how an unfortunate background can move an innocent child into further and further adverse environments with virtually zero alternatives and often tragic consequences, especially when there is no safety net. Through personal sponsorship and collection tins on the day, we aim to raise for a year's running of a drop-in centre to provide support for these children in a more sustained and effective way that is not possible from the rail roadside.”
Ming Wai is no stranger to fund raising – previously she has climbed up the Gherkin for NSPCC, lived on $2 a day for a week for a Ugandan water charity and taken part in a 24 hour meditation for the homeless in Manchester – however she admits that she wasn’t sure about being part of the conga team.
“I wasn't sure my fitness levels would let the team down in this record attempt.” she added.
“However, the recent loss of a friend spurred me on to do this in his memory. So, I'm personally also raising for Cardiac Risk in the Young, which is a UK charity aimed at preventing young sudden cardiac deaths. I didn't realise that every week in the UK, 12 apparently fit and healthy young people die of undiagnosed heart conditions. Although I am myself raising for two quite different charities, this does not lessen the message for me; that is, the importance of helping young people and as early as we can."
The dancers, dubbed the Congateers, will leave from Manchester Piccadilly train station at 11.00am, accompanied by live musicians. They will conga for 6.1 miles down the A6 for an estimated 4-hour feat of endurance.
Along the way they will connect with shoppers and stallholders at Levenshulme Market before a grand finale welcome with a 40-strong choir at Stockport Train Station. Stockport station will also be playing host to their other fundraiser, StockFest, a family fun-day of live acts from midday.
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