The Gift of Laughter: ACLT Fundraiser

The Gift of Laughter comes to Prince of Peckham on Thursday 22 October, a comedy fundraiser for the African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust. The night is billed as 'One Night, One Cause, Endless Laughter', and the acts are drawn from the ACLT community itself, with people donating their time, talent and jokes to the cause. It's presented by The Arbuth đốt Group Ltd and is for ages 16 and over.

To get why the night matters, it helps to know what the ACLT does. They're a leading charity for blood cancer, blood disorders and transplants, and they campaign against the severe shortage of Black and mixed-heritage donors on the UK stem cell, blood and organ donor registers. When you're looking for a match, ethnicity plays a huge part, and the shortage means people from these backgrounds often face longer waits for a life-saving transplant. That's the work the charity focuses on, and this comedy night is one of the ways they raise funds to keep it going.

Because the acts come from within the ACLT community, the whole thing is a bit more personal than your usual comedy club night. It's people stepping up for a cause they're actually part of, rather than a line-up booked from an agency. The evening runs from 7:30pm to 10:30pm, so it's a full three-hour stretch of comedy. Doors open at 6:30pm, which gives you plenty of time to get a drink and find a spot before the first act takes the stage.

Tickets start from £6, so it's a low bar to get in on a night that's doing something concrete. If you're in South East London, it's an easy one to drop into on a Thursday evening. Prince of Peckham is at 1 Clayton Rd, Peckham, London SE15 5JA. Doors at 6:30pm, show from 7:30pm to 10:30pm, tickets from £6.