‘Pantomime Cow Farm’ spoof promotes charity’s Christmas catalogue
Howard Lake | 30 November 2015 | News
Panto cow farms exist! Oh no they don’t! Oh yes they do! Where? Behind you!
And in front of your eyes. Bath-based charity Send a Cow has created a spoof documentary looking behind the scenes at the hidden world of ‘Panto cow farms’.
As the pantomime season gets underway in theatres across the UK – it is Panto Day on 11 December – the charity hopes its humorous video will promote its new Christmas Gift catalogue.
The ‘Panto Farm’ video features a cattle farmer who breeds a herd of pantomime cows. Together with his ‘principal boy’ daughter, he feeds up his cows for panto season, teaches them how to ‘milk applause’ in his milking shed, and auctions them to theatre directors for magic beans.
[youtube height=”450″ width=”800″]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuVOYBusrGo[/youtube]
Virtual gifts
The charity’s Christmas Gift catalogue encourages people to buy and donate practical items which help African families become self-sufficient. For example:
• for £205, a ‘Local Cow’ provides a family with milk and manure for farming.
• a Chicken costs £7
• an Apple Orchard is available at £17
• or supporters can Educate a Child for £30.
In addition, from now until 31 December, all donations to Send a Cow will be matched £1 for £1 by the UK Government’s Aid Match programme.
Send a Cow claims that it was the first UK charity to introduce the virtual gift catalogue. This year its campaign is being supported by actress Joanna Lumley.
Simon Barnes, CEO of Send a Cow, said:
“This year we’ve chosen to celebrate the humble Panto Cow to encourage people to think differently about the gifts they buy this Christmas. We don’t have magic beans but we do have lots of practical gifts that can make a real difference. We hope that you will support us this year by buying a gift, to help us change even more lives this Christmas and beyond.”
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Making the film
The ‘Panto Farm’ film was shot in Bath and features actor, Marc Danbury who has appeared in Casualty, Mistresses and the film, Johnny English.
Panto Cows learn how to milk the applause
Selling a Panto Cow for magic beans
Send a Cow’s Christmas catalogue is available in print and online.
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.