If you told any young person that they could spend the next 24 hours playing one of their favourite online games; with no homework, schoolwork or any other responsibilities, I’m sure they would leap at the opportunity. However, as an endurance challenge, with an audience to keep entertained along the way; 24 hours of uninterrupted screen time is genuinely much more difficult than it sounds!
Yet, last Sunday at 10am, two Artz Centre student veterans (Aaron Ormesher and Adam Ball), took to their screens for a sponsored Minecraft Marathon; a 24 hour gaming stint, in which their challenge was to rebuild a post-lockdown world.
The lads live-streamed the whole event, and were joined by many well-known Artz faces along the way; who each contributed to (and destroyed in equal measure *ahem* Joe Howard) this epic gaming challenge.
The wacky one-off event raised a staggering £770 for the Artz Centre organisation; funds which will be reinvested into providing high quality creative opportunities for people in our local area, throughout lockdown and into the future!
I caught up with Aaron for a full recount of just what this bizarre 24 hours really looked like from the gamer’s chair…
Claire: Straight off the bat, now that this epic marathon is all over, can you name one word that summed up the 24 hours?
Aaron: Honestly, my word would be ‘quick’!
Claire: Really!? Well time clearly flies when you’re rebuilding the world! So, we’ve seen students come up with some novel ideas for fundraising over the past few weeks, but what made you take on 24 hours of Minecraft?
Aaron: It’s always something I’ve wanted to see if I could do, I’ve done my fair share of all nighters playing the latest games hahaha. But nothing like this, I just thought, what better time to try and take it on than now? That way I can support the Centre and challenge myself simultaneously.
Claire: Great motivation for sure! Was there a reason you and Adam picked each other for the challenge? Were there any other contenders in the running?
Aaron: I think it was destined to be… as we both had the idea separately! Once we talked about it and realised we had the same idea, we knew we had to take it on. Me and Adam often play Minecraft recreationally with a few others, and we always end up contributing the most so it just made sense hahaha.
Claire: For anyone who has no clue what this is all about, can you give us a super brief description of what Minecraft is?
Aaron: Minecraft is a video game based on doing whatever you wanna do! Adam likes to build huge structures, Erica likes to explore looking for exotic creatures, and I like to sort out peoples items into neat little chests! Hahaha.
Claire: Yaaas, something for everyone! The challenge you set yourself within the 24 hours was to rebuild the world after lockdown. Did you achieve that?
Aaron: I think we did! By the end the world was absolutely full of creations from over 15 people!
Claire: This is genuinely incredible stuff. What sorts of things were built?
Aaron: I personally built Fagin’s Den, Urinetown, and a giant version of my Cat in the Hat prop table! Matthew built an army of chickens, Suave built a giant pit that claimed many victims, and Kori built… a hut made of dirt… What more could you ask for?
Claire: Sounds like the perfect post-lockdown world to me? Haha. What was the most memorable part of the 24 hours?
Aaron: I think it would have to be us travelling to another dimension and slaying a dragon! You would think that would be the hardest part, but after the dragon was defeated, me, Adam, Molly and Riggers all got hopelessly lost! We didn’t manage to return to our own dimension for hours! Definitely a memorable moment.
Claire: This could be a film! And how on earth did you manage to stay awake for the whole 24 hours?
Aaron: For that I have to thank our viewers, we had somebody either watching or playing along with us for the full 24 hours! It’s easier to keep up your energy knowing people are watching. Special thanks to BJ and Holly for staying up all night to watch us, and to Matthew for waking up at 6am to jump on!
Claire: Sounds like quite the party! But on a more serious note, why did you think it was important to raise some funds for the Centre during this time?
Aaron: As soon as the Artz Enterprise initiative was announced, I knew I had to help somehow, as the Artz Centre has provided so much for me for over five years! It was my absolute pleasure to raise as much as I could for the Centre.
Claire: And finally… Will we see another Aaron/Adam marathon of any kind, any time soon?
Aaron: All I will say is that ideas have been discussed… Aaron and Adam build the universe perhaps? Stay tuned…
What an achievement! We extend a huge well done to both Aaron and Adam for completing such a tough challenge; and of course an even bigger thank you to the pair for the funds they that have raised along the way.
#ArtzEnterprise #ArtzFamily #Fundraising #Challenge #Minecraft #Marathon
See below for some snapshots from the 24 hours… as narrated by Aaron, himself!
