If you fancy watching some of the country’s top comedians, while raising money for mental health charity Mind, then look no further , because thanks to Jericho Comedy, you can do just that.

Run by Oxford locals Alex Farrow and Harry Househam, the duo organise weekly comedy nights in aid of Oxfordshire Mind at the Jericho Cafe.

Harry explains: “We started running comedy nights for the colleges in Oxford in 2015. When we decided to run the shows for charity, there was only one cause that united both the comedy community and Oxford student and that was overwhelmingly mental health.

“There are studies that have shown how prevalent mental health problems are in the creative community and especially with comedians. It seemed like a natural choice to do comedy shows for such a worthy cause.”

Harry and Alex have been keen to expand the reach and audience of the charity gigs, so last year they held 50 Gigs for Oxfordshire Mind’s 50th Anniversary which ended with a Gala at the Old Fire Station.

Five shows were performed with acts like Ivo Graham, Rachel Parris and James Acaster and this gala raised an amazing £3,000.

So when Jericho Comedy sold out the Oxford Playhouse show in January, they had a rethink. After all, they had an amazing line up including comedian Nish Kumar, Mock The Week regular Ed Gamble and Australian stand-up Felicity Ward.

The result? A matinee performance on the same day.

“We’ve worked with Mind for the last three years, “ Harry explains, “We have always found them to be kind and generous people.

“The work they do is really terrific for the mental health of Oxfordshire and the services they provide are not only life changing but often lifesaving.

“If we can support that work while running events that make people feel good and laugh then ‘job done’.”

Harry and Alex have raised about £16,700 to date and with the upcoming gala are on track to break £20,000.

“We may even break £25,000 if people are generous enough on the night!” Harry adds.

And while Oxfordshire Mind relies on the vital support of supporters to fund mental health and wellbeing services across the county with fantastic supporters who swim, pedal, laugh, bake and yoga-athon away, to raise funds, in the name of better mental health and wellbeing services across Oxfordshire, this offers theatre-goers and comedy fanatics the chance to give something back. So buy a ticket. You’ll be laughing all the way to the bank.

Oxfordshire Mind Comedy Gala

Oxford Playhouse

January 12

01865 305305

oxfordplayhouse.com