Students from the University of Chester spent Valentine’s Day being soaked with milk in order to raise money for MIND and Miles of Smiles.
Emma Parker, the founder of Milking it for Money, said: “We’re trying to remove some of the stigma surrounding mental health. Although what we do is silly, we acknowledge mental health is serious. We want to make it easier for people to speak out. Our message is – don’t bottle it up.”
Entirely run by law students, Milking it for Money was set up in 2013 after a lecturer challenged his students to a dare. So far, the students have raised more than £4,000 at events they call ‘milkers’.
“During a milker, you pour milk over yourself. It’s really cold. The first time I did it I thought I was going to drown,” said Sara-Jayne Dodge, 22. “But it’s not really milk. We use a baby bath solution. Using real milk would be too wasteful.”
12 pints of milk
Milkers are held throughout the year and students pour up to 12 pints of milk over themselves in one sitting.
“We were the original ice bucket challenge,” says Rachel McSharry, 22.
Brain freeze and not being able to get rid of the smell of milk for weeks are the downsides to the challenge but Iona Chisholm, 20, thinks it’s worth it.
“I want to make it easier for people to talk about mental health and if I have to get covered in milk to do that, then that’s fine by me,” she said.
Two charities
This year, Milking it for Money hopes to raise £2,000. The money will go to MIND, a mental health charity, and Miles of Smiles, a Chester-based charity for terminally ill children.
Previously, the students raised money for Chester Zoo and the Countess of Chester Hospital’s Human Milk Bank.
Though the charity is only three years old, Milking it for Money have set their sights on a world record.
“We’re hoping to break the world record for the most pies thrown in someone’s face in a minute,” says law student Rachel.
If you’d like to get involved, you can donate via the Milking it for Money Virgin Money Giving page.
