GamesAid, a charity organisation based around the UK video games industry, was launched on the 16th of May 2008. It was set up primarily as a children and young people's charity and will distribute funds to a diverse range of good causes in this area.
GamesAid is to be a broker of charitable activity on behalf of the industry, meaning it will act as a central and unbiased organisation working within the industry but not operated by any one company. Funds raised through GamesAid will be used to provide resources for education, health, housing and social welfare for children and young people primarily in the UK. Other possible areas that funding may be granted to are career guidance and sport. Although not a requirement of receiving money from GamesAid, where possible beneficiaries should provide some kind of technology/interactive play element in what the money will be used for. Money can only be given to registered charities and will in general go towards smaller, less well funded, causes.
The source of these funds will be the activities and operations of the games industry in as many of its guises as possible. Primarily social or sporting events hosted by companies within the industry, corporate and individual donations as well as directly, as a proportion, or game title sales. On top of this the charity's organisers will accept any ideas or feedback from their GamesAid Website. Any ideas taken up will give the individual the opportunity to be involved with the process of putting their idea in to action from start to finish.
The first fundraising event on behalf of GamesAid will take place on the 31st of August and is called PS3 Attitude. It will see the people behind PS3 Attitude as well as selected gamers and industry contacts, dive out of a plane at around 13,000 feet above the Earth! Fear not though as each jumper will be in tandem with an experience Royal Marine parachutist.
GamesAid was founded by a group of Trustees from across the industry. They are Andrew Eades of Relentless Software, Andy Payne of Mastertroni (GamesAid Deputy Chairman), Greg Ingham of MediaClash (GamesAid Chairman), Miles Jacobson of Sports Interactive (Fundraising sub-committee), Paul Gardner of Osborne Clarke, Rupert Loman of Eurogamer (PR sub-committee) and Sarah Seaby of Gamecock Media. Also, four well respected PR professionals and industry experts donated a lot of time to its foundation: Cat Channon of Vivendi Games, Dawn Beasley of Black Rock Studio, Mark Ward of Bastion and Simon Byron of Barrington Harvey PR.
The launch of GamesAid is a brilliant and fascinating addition to the games industry. It is a confident move of an industry that is both strong and growing and is therefore another step towards confirming itself as one of the major media entertainments, alongside music and film. But as well as this it is also a move of maturity and compassion. The video games industry is not a fledgling, immature business of trendy looking youngsters trying to make a quick buck and have a laugh flogging another shoot-em up of mindless violence. It is an industry of people who want to make a difference to people's lives not just through entertaining and often pertinent and educational games, but directly through charitable donations.
We'll be doing our best at Game Hub to follow the moves and actions of GamesAid wherever possible.
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