Robin Hood Treasure Hunt in Bethnal Green, Photo: Isabel Minter

On Sunday a group of campaigners dressed in Robin Hood costumes gathered at the Rich Mix arts centre in Tower Hamlets – instead of holding the residents of Brick Lane to ransom, the aim was to raise awareness of Oxfam‘s campaign for a ‘Robin Hood Tax’ with a themed treasure hunt.

Eight teams carried out interactive tasks such as ‘dressing like a banker’,  finding pictures to represent phrases such as ‘asset bubble’ and ‘tweeting‘ on the game’s progress . The organisers of the event wanted to raise the profile of the proposal which seeks to impose a levy on banking transactions. They hoped the day would have an impact not only on people in the East End but also  policy makers.

The proposal to put a 0.05% tax on inter-bank transactions has received some well known supporters – mostly notably the actor Bill Nighy.  Critics of the idea, however, are concerned that the tax could be passed on to consumers and that its effectiveness depends on support from all the major world economies.

Those who turned out for the day remained optimistic about what they had achieved.  Lucy Campbell believed that passersby had been ‘very helpful, very welcoming and very curious’. Katie Beale, who helped to create the Robin Hood Tax Treasure Hunt,  explained why some of the tasks had been created.

A report on the day’s events from Sarah Corke

Robin Hood and his Merry Men hit Brick Lane market. Images: Isabel Minter