Oxfam Gig

Thanks to Oxfam in Manchester for giving me the chance to try out a few things to do with Starvation diet on Saturday. I wanted to understand how easy it was for people to grasp the concept and how I might get it across in a quick way. Also wanted to see if people would be interested in committing more to the idea through their own lives and diet. I carried in one hand a Mars bar which got stickier as the unseasonally warm day went on. In the other I carried an Oxfam collecting bucket. I asked people if they would like to buy my Mars bar, "its 60p which is about the same amount as 5 people eating for a day in Mexico" I told them. "Or you could resist the mars bar and it just so happens that I am collecting for Oxfam and instead of buying the mars bar you could give the money to people who really need it." Most people said yes to donating, most people gave £1.00 or more. I chatted to most people and told several what I was up to through Starvation diet. I gave several people pledge stickers so that they could choose a day to cut down and donate and three people starvation log sheets because they were interested in changing their lives in line with the idea. My bucket was light at the end of my collecting but it will be interesting to see if it was full of bigger coins. Does engaging people in this way take more time but get bigger results? Does it create less or more informed giving? Is it too much hard sell or are people really giving because they think it makes sense? Good idea for a psychology PHD if anybody out there is into all that. If not would welcome comments below.
P.s. Thanks to George for taking the great photos.