BBC Children in Need Feed

The 5 Nation 48 Challenge for BBC Children in Need

2014-07-18T11:17:48+00:00

On August 1 2014, an all-star football team led by veteran fundraiser Barry Donegan will be embarking on a very unusual challenge. The team will be playing 5 football games… in 5 nations… within a 48 hour time period! It’s all part of The 5 Nations 48 Challenge, the brainchild of Barry and his friend David, all in aid of BBC Children in Need! It’s not going to be easy, but if they succeed, they could even end up with a Guinness World Record!

However, these aren’t just any football teams – professional footballers and stars from the nation’s favourite soaps are all giving up their time to make the challenge work! Ex-footballers such as Lee Sharpe and Gary Bennett (just two of many) will be taking on soap luminaries such as Nick Pickard and Alan Halsall, all to have a bit of fun and raise a bit of cash.

The Route

It all starts at 6pm on August 1 2014. The first game will be played at Gretna Football club in Scotland. The team will be facing a strong side made up of ex-Carlisle United players.

After this dramatic start the team will then cross the water over to Northern Ireland for their next game at 10am the next morning, taking on a team including Jim Magilton and Stephen Robinson.

A whirlwind day then sees the (by now probably quite tired) team travelling south into Ireland to face off against a team headed by Boyzone's Keith Duffy. Kick off starts at 5pm at Peamount United Football Ground. Keith's put together an all-star team of ex-footballer and celebrities, so this should be a great game to see.

The following morning finds the journeying back over the water to Wales for a challenging game against Pen-y-cae FC, with a kick off at 10am at Pen-y-cae FC's ground.

The fifth and final game pitts a tired but determined team against the 'TV Select; team at Nantwich Town Football Club at 2.30pm. This game matches our charity team against a squad made of players from popular TV soaps. Some of the names confirmed include Danny Miller from Emmerdale, Nick Pickard and Nico Mirallegro from Hollyoaks , Jamie Lomas from Eastenders, and TV favourite Ralph Little.

A photo from Barry's previous star-laden football tournament!

Fancy getting involved, or simply feel like watching the beautiful game? You can help Barry and the gang reach their £20,000 fundraising target just by attending a game at the locations above - all of the games look set to be good fun! Alternatively you can donate a little something to Barry and the boys - you can find their donation page here. Of course, every penny they raise will go towards helping children and young people right here, in the UK. Good luck Barry, and a big thank you from everyone here at Pudsey HQ!

Fundraising Heroes: putting on a show for Pudsey Bear!

2013-11-13T11:32:38+00:00

Are you excited about BBC Children in Need week yet? This Friday 15 November, at 7pm on BBC One! To add to our rising excitement, we’ve been out and about throughout the glorious UK looking for fundraising heroes stealing the show for Pudsey Bear!

Two Sundays back, from the direction of Southampton, we could hear what sounded like some very lively fundraising, intermittently interrupted by rapturous applause, and we wondered what sort of strange fundraising was this, to inspire such a loud reaction? Once we inquired we realised that something very special was going in The Mayflower Theatre - a very special BBC Children in Need performance by the cast of GHOST: The Musical entitled GHOST is Dancing. We tracked down the manager, Neil, to see just what the cast and crew had been up to:

“In June this year the GHOST: The Musical touring company decided to raise money for BBC Children in Need. We decided to do a Strictly Come Dancing event with 12 couples - cast members being paired with our touring crew, to help cast and crew get to know each other. As the months went on, our plans got bigger and bigger! Every member of the company got involved and the Mayflower theatre in Southampton very kindly gave us free use of the theatre on Sunday 3 November. Jason Donovan was one of the first people we approached to help us out and he generously agreed. Nigel Harman was thrilled to be involved and then Sally Taylor from BBC South agreed to be our Guest host.

Our crew worked so hard to juggle dancing training around the busy schedule of moving an incredibly complex touring show around the country - in one venue we had three dance studios booked every day to allow all of our 12 couples training time! Members of our cast rehearsed cabaret acts, and our orchestra recorded all the music for us. The week before the show everyone was in every day either rehearsing or putting together the finishing touches.

The cast of GHOST: The Musical show off their Strictly skills!

Then the big night arrived! The dancers performed brilliantly, the guest stars were fantastic and everybody had a brilliant time. The event, now called GHOST is Dancing really seemed to capture the imagination of our Southampton audiences and our collections each day seemed to be getting bigger and bigger. We had an incredible time and our audience was amazing; the whole theatre felt like a massive party. Our fundraising total is now £37,022 - an amount that we never dreamt we could raise and in doing so we now have a really close touring company.”

Ivan De Freitas and Sinead Kennedy wow audiences in GHOST is Dancing!

Everyone in the cast of GHOST: The Musical deserves a massive thank you for their amazing efforts over the last few months, we hope you had an amazing time, and we wish we could have been there on the night; Pudsey has told us it was one of the best shows he’s ever seen – high praise indeed from a Bear who’s got a fair few shows under his belt!

All over the country spotlights have been shining and red curtains have been opening as performers gear up to entertain and enthrall for BBC Children in Need. Halloween audiences were treated to a very spooky show from Exit Theatre, a Croydon based non-profit theatre group formed in 2001. ‘Devilish Tales’ told three creepy stories, each written by three Croydon playwrights from the Exit Theatre crew. Audience needed to steel their nerves once the show began, as the Devil himself was hosting the evening! In spite of a few scares (or perhaps becuase of them), it seems like the show was a hit, and the best part of the evening? All profits from the show were donated to BBC Children in Need!

It’s showtime for the everyday fundraiser as well as the professional performer - especially for our fundraising heroes in schools up and down the country. We’ve heard that Dreghorn Primary School in North Ayrshire are having a pyjama day and talent show, and students at Kirkwall Grammar School in Orkney have raised an amazing £3195.30 through a variety of fundraising activities including a big spectacular show featuring bush-tucker trials, singing teachers and head shaving. Fantastic work guys, you’ve done Pudsey proud!

If you're putting on a show for Pudsey, tell us all about it! We'd love you to get in touch and tell us about all your fundraising. Simply email your local address on this page, and tag us @BBCCiN on Twitter and Instagram or @Pudsey Bear on Facebook. Don't forget to use our official hashtags to help us spread the excitement - #bakeit, #pyjamas, #songanddance and, of course, #BeAHero.

If you still haven't decided what you'll be doing to fundraise this year, it's not too late to get involved! A great place to start is by downloading one of our 2013 fundraising packs. You'll be weaving some fundraising magic in no time at all!

Gary Barlow and Paul Smith design t-shirts and bags for CiN Rocks

2013-10-30T14:36:36+00:00

Two icons of music and fashion have joined forces to create a limited edition t-shirt and tote bag for BBC Children in Need! Gary Barlow and Paul Smith generously lent their time and talents to come up with something that celebrates BBC Children in Need Rocks, two star-studded evenings of live music, hosted at the Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith, London. The concert will be hosted by Gary Barlow with appearances from a whole host of amazing performers such as Robbie Williams, Kings of Leon, Bastille, Dizzee Rascal and Ellie Goulding, who will play across 12th and 13th November, before the shows are broadcast on BBC One on Thursday 14th. Get more information on the concerts and get your tickets before they all go: BBC Children in Need Rocks .

Gary Barlow wearing the CiN Rocks t-shirt designed by Paul Smith

The t-shirts cost £45 each and the bags cost £25 each. You can get both right here and they are also available in selected Paul Smith shops as well as the concert venue. You’ll have to hurry as just 1,275 t-shirts and 500 bags were made so grab them while you can! Step out in style and #BeAHero by supporting BBC Children in Need.

The Stars Come Out for BBC Children in Need 2013!

2013-10-27T21:50:00+00:00

An exciting array of the biggest names in music, comedy and entertainment are coming together for our annual Appeal Show extravaganza. On Friday 15 November the entertainment will come live from the brand new BBC Children in Need studio and – for the first time – live from Albert Square!

Sir Terry Wogan, Tess Daly, Fearne Cotton, Zoe Ball and Nick Grimshaw play host to an array of stars, as they join in to help raise money for disadvantaged children and young people across the UK.

Amongst those lending a hand are One Direction, Doctor Who, Harry Hill, and cast of Call The Midwife. British sporting legends Torvill & Dean will be taking to the Strictly Come Dancing ballroom, dancing head-to-head in a bid to win the glitterball Pudsey trophy. The cast of EastEnders will put on a special performance featuring a plethora of dance styles from Bollywood to ballroom, live in Albert Square.

Paul Wright, BBC Executive Producer, says: “BBC Children in Need’s move to a new home has unlocked the gates to Albert Square which will bring even more excitement to Appeal night. I am thrilled with the spectacular line-up making it the biggest and most ambitious night in the show’s long history.

The night of entertainment will also include exclusive performances from BBC Children in Need Rocks concert masterminded by Gary Barlow, and Frank Skinner will open the doors to a special children’s edition of Room 101. Other music guests across the evening include JLS, Wet Wet Wet, Tinie Tempah, and Ellie Goulding singing the official BBC Children in Need single, How Long Will I Love You.

Sir Terry Wogan, Life President, says, “Every year the BBC Children in Need Appeal night is a testament to the extraordinary generosity of the British people. We’ve got the lovely Zoe Ball joining the firm this year, along with the wonderful Tess and Fearne and Mr Grimshaw, and the inimitable Pudsey. They’re all on hand to prop me up as we traverse a fantastic night of entertainment towards what we hope to be another record-breaking total”

Celebrating our fundraising heroes!

2013-10-22T15:25:02+00:00

It’s no secret that each year inspirational fundraisers from all over the UK reveal their inner hero by organising some amazing fundraising adventures for BBC Children in Need. This year’s current crop of fundraisers may be the most glorious yet - we’ve seen all sorts of mountain-climbing, record-breaking, head-shaving, lawn-mowing, cake-baking, photo-shooting antics, and it looks like there’s plenty more to come. One of the very best things about our fundraising heroes is that anyone can be one - Just by getting out and there and fundraising you’ll be changing lives, and this makes you a hero in our book!

We’re taking some time out this week to introduce some more of our inspirational fundraisers. Meet Hanni, a twelve-year-old hero from Hertfordshire. We were lucky enough to receive a hand-written letter from Hanni telling us all about herself and her big idea:

“I am twelve years old. I go to school in Hertfordshire. I enjoy playing tennis and cooking, and I have an older brother and sister and a sausage dog called Chester. My big idea is to make a book about what makes people happy! I am asking lots of interesting and famous people to write or draw what makes them happy. I will then put them all in a book that people can buy. All the money from sales of this book will be donated to BBC Children in Need. So far I have got over 30 responses from celebrities!

Some of the people who have sent me entries are: Michael McIntyre, Little Mix, Cliff Richard, Daley Thompson, Jim Carter from Downton Abbey, Olly Murs, Denise Van-Outen and Kimberley Walsh! Some people, like John Bishop and Nicole Sherzinger, actually took the time to draw what makes them happy!”

Hanni with some of the letters she's recieved.

And so Hanni has embarked upon her fundraising mission. Along the way she’ll no doubt encounter many more interesting people to add to her book. In fact, the team at Strictly Come Dancing were so impressed with Hanni’s letter they even invited her to studios to talk to all the cast! Looks like this book will be bursting at the seams with top names. Watch out on this blog and on our social media channels as we’ll keep you up to date with Hanni’s adventure!

Speaking of adventures, we recently heard about a very heroic mission undertaken by the team at DHL Retail Business Support. The team raised money for BBC Children in Need by being sponsored to push their colleague, who is a wheelchair user, up Mount Snowdon in a specially adapted wheelchair. Just to give some perspective, Snowden is the highest mountain in England and Wales at 3,650 feet high! Courageous stuff, and an ambitious attempt! The team chose a route that made the distance to the summit five miles, which meant with the return journey the team travelled a climbed and descended a total of ten miles! Pudsey thought that the teams adventure was such a great effort he even turned up on the day for some moral support!

A big well done to all of the fundraising heroes on the climbing team: Nigel Gallier, Richard Baldwin-Hay, Paul Walker, Gareth Donovan, Stephen Palfreeman, Nicola Crick, Anna Taylor, Karen Denoven, Sonia Legowska, Tom Smith, Claire Wilson, Jim Meehan, Chris Read and Scott Roberts.

The brave DHL team on the day of the challenge!

The climb was successfully completed in September, and the team’s fantastic fundraising efforts have so far raised over £6,000 for BBC Children in Need – an amazing achievement. So, we’d like to say a big, big thank you from Pudsey and team; without fundraisers like you, we wouldn’t be able to fund over 2700 projects, 365 days a year, helping disadvantaged children and young people all over the UK, and right where you live.

If you've chosen to be a fundraising hero, we think you deserve some recognition. Help us to celebrate you and your great work by getting in touch and telling us about all the brave fundraising you've been embarking. Simply email your local address on this page, and tag us @BBCCiN on Twitter and Instagram or @Pudsey Bear on Facebook. Don't forget to use our official hashtags to help us spread the excitement - #bakeit, #pyjamas, #songanddance and our main hashtag for 2013 - #BeAHero.

If you still haven't decided what you'll be doing to fundraise this year, it's not too late to get involved! A great place to start is by downloading one of our free 2013 fundraising packs. Or if you prefer, you can order one in the post. You'll be full of inspirational ideas in no time at all!

Rocks returns!

2013-09-26T08:52:58+00:00

Gary Barlow launches two BBC Children in Need star-studded concerts!

Gary Barlow has excelled once again in bringing together some of the biggest names in the music industry to play at this year’s BBC Children in Need Rocks concerts!

The world class line-up set to perform at the Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith so far includes:

On Tuesday 12 November…

Robbie Williams

Dizzee Rascal

Little Mix

And on Wednesday 13 November

Ellie Goulding

Rizzle Kicks

Bastille

Passenger

Further names will also be confirmed in coming weeks and there will also be some surprise legendary artists appearing on the night! We can barely contain ourselves!

Chris Evans and Fearne Cotton will host both nights, which will be combined into one TV programme for broadcast on BBC One and BBC One HD. Chris says “I am honoured to be hosting the Rocks concerts alongside Fearne. Gary certainly knows how to put on a show, so I think guests and viewers will be in for a very special couple of evenings, a real treat!”

Gary Barlow added “I’m very excited that these incredible artists are giving their time for a special Charity that is close to my heart. This year, BBC Children in Need Rocks is going to be bigger and better than ever, doing not one, but two concerts. There are still some great acts we're keeping up our sleeve to announce in the coming weeks and there will be a couple of surprise moments on stage as well. And who knows, I might even get up on stage too.”

Tickets are on sale from 9am today and are priced £100, £75, and £50.

For more details on Rocks including how to buy tickets, visit the Rocks event page.

BBC Children in Need is BACK

2013-09-04T20:24:08+00:00

Sir Terry Wogan, Matt Baker, Gary Barlow, Nick Grimshaw, Alex Jones, JLS and Union J have joined forces to kick start this year’s BBC Children in Need Campaign. They are calling on the Great British public to once again get fundraising to help raise millions for disadvantaged children and young people right here in the UK.

There are a number of fun ways people can get fundraising for the Charity as demonstrated by Pudsey’s celebrity pals. Union J and Alex Jones are leading the fundraising charge by asking people to ditch their usual 9 to 5 work clothes and wear their #pyjamas and have a PJ party of their own!

Meanwhile Sir Terry Wogan and Nick Grimshaw are encouraging Brits to #bakeit, dig out their wooden spoons and get creative in the kitchen to hold a bake sale for the Bear. Sir Terry Wogan is fond of a lemon drizzle cake, but whether it is cookies, cupcakes or a crumble, all money raised will help to change young lives.

JLS are encouraging fans to follow in their footsteps, pop on their dancing shoes and put on a musical fundraising show of their own telling the world using #songanddance. Music, lights, action, all in aid of BBC Children in Need!

Or for the budding athletes out there, Matt Baker is calling on the public to dust off their running gear and get involved in a sponsored race. Every single run, race, skip or space-hop, will go towards helping the Charity.

Watch our celeb pals talking about their fave fundraising activities!

BBC Children in Need’s Life President Sir Terry Wogan says: “Another year older and my childhood is almost ancient history, though memories from back then are very fond ones. I was lucky. Mine was a happy childhood but for many children in the UK, this isn’t the case, which is why the BBC started BBC Children in Need. Get involved. Go on, you know you want to. Together we can make 2013 our greatest year ever.”

One of BBC Children in Need’s biggest supporters, Gary Barlow says: “I’m doing my bit for BBC Children in Need, are you? Whether you bake, race, dress- up or sing, every penny goes towards making a difference to the lives of children and young people based here in the UK.”

The official fundraising pack is available for download and is jam packed with fundraising ideas and games to help people with their fundraising efforts. To date the Great British public has raised nearly £690 million for children across the UK and the Charity is calling on people to once again pull out the stops and start baking, running, dancing, pyjama wearing or singing; anything at all to help raise money to change young lives!

Click here to visit our new Fundraising Section.

Can't think of a way to fundraise? Well here are some ideas from our celebrity pals!

Gary Barlow saves the day for Blackpool!

2013-08-30T13:29:51+00:00

Gary Barlow has stepped in to perform at the Blackpool Illuminations Switch-On concert after the headline act pulled out.

The singer will take the place of rock band The Script at the gig on Friday 30 August, who withdrew on Thursday due to a family illness.

Gary was arranged as the new act after he offered to help out through Twitter on Thursday evening.

Gary said: "I went there on holiday as a kid and it is a very fond place for me. When I saw the news that they had lost The Script I thought I am going to see if I can do this. When the council said they would make a donation for BBC Children In Need, I decided I'm there."

Blackpool Council immediately contacted Gary’s agent to take him up on the offer, and will make a donation.

Thanks so much and well done Gary! Hope everyone who goes has an amazing time.

CarFest North a Roaring Success

2013-08-09T09:17:44+00:00

CarFest made a spectacular return to the British summer events calendar on 2-4 August at Oulton Park circuit near Chester. With a second event taking place at the end of the month CarFest looks set to make £1 million for BBC Children in Need.

The first of this summer’s two events – which were conceived back in the Spring of 2011 by Chris Evans to raise money for BBC Children in Need – took place in front of an enormous crowd at this historic race track. CarFest South is to follow at Laverstoke Park Farm near Basingstoke on 23-25 August. The brainchild of BBC Radio 2 DJ Chris Evans, CarFest once again delivered a medley of great live music, brilliant family entertainment, fabulous food and the Sprint event which played host to a collection of stunning road and race cars.

To further add to the excitement of the Weekend Chris Evans and his BBC Radio 2 team presented a three hour Saturday morning breakfast show live from CarFest much to the delight of the festival-goers.

The BBC Radio 2 DJ broadcasts live from Oulton Park

“It has been a stunning success again,” said Chris Evans. “Last year was something of an experiment but the plan to bring together great cars, great food and great music was a huge success as an event and a money raising opportunity for BBC Children in Need. This first CarFest of 2013 has once again surpassed my expectations and we are bigger and better in every way, and to make it just about perfect I was able to broadcast from the event. It was such a great opportunity to bring CarFest to life for all the loyal Radio 2 listeners who have followed us along the way.

“Oulton Park has been a fantastic venue. It is a stunning location, a great track and as far as music is concerned it has a natural amphitheater, which lends itself perfectly to our live performances. It has been a fabulous backdrop for CarFest and I am sure we will be back for many years to come. With the live music it is a festival within a festival and seems to have a winning formula. I am sure we are here to stay.”

The ‘Evans effect’ has obviously been a huge draw for the crowds and, as ever, the broadcaster did not disappoint, meeting and greeting the ‘audience’ from the early hours of the morning until the close of the event each night with a supporting cast of mouth-watering cars, music, food and family entertainment. Highlights included the charity auction by Silverstone Auctions which raised £115,651 for BBC Children in Need with the Jaguar E-type V12 Roadster, kindly donated by an anonymous benefactor, raising £73,025 (including premiums) for the charity!

Evans’ own ‘Magnificent Seven’ Ferrari collection was also in action – ably supported by his Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Nick Mason, the Pink Floyd drummer, had his stunning Ferrari 250 GTO on display alongside many of the world’s finest cars. The £35 million Matra collection of Le Mans and Grand Prix winners made a rare appearance and the crowd was given a preview of the soon-to-be released ‘Rush’ movie with James Hunt’s 1976 McLaren M23 having a weekend run.

On the gastronomic front the event was supported by fine food stalls representing the very best of outside catering options with the ‘Britain’s Best’ marquee taking centre stage and hosting the much lauded cakes versus pies competition. The finalists were judged on the main stage by TV presenter Paul Hollywood and the 2012 Great British Bake Off winner, John Whaite. This time the ‘cakes’ were the winners with 12-year-old Myfanwy Hywel with her Rosie Rhubarb cake taking the honours.

CarFest was completed in style with a first class selection of top bands entertaining the crowd well into all three evenings. An eclectic mix of Alfie Boe, The Feeling, Deacon Blue, Jamie Cullen and Ocean Colour Scene were just a few of the acts on the busy schedule. With the rain staying at bay for most of the weekend, it was a truly exceptional CarFest North with Pudsey Bear enjoying the generosity of all involved.

The fourth CarFest event will take place in three weeks time at the location of the maiden event in August 2012 – Laverstoke Park Farm near Basingstoke. The world famous organic farm set in 2000 acres of rolling Hampshire countryside and owned by 1979 Formula One World Champion Jody Scheckter it is sure to play host to another truly memorable event transporting the magic of CarFest to the Southern counties.

For more information visit the official Carfest website at www.carfest.org.

TOGs Marathon with Sir Terry

2013-07-18T12:57:49+00:00

The TOGs are once again supporting BBC Children in Need this year with their very own TOGs Marathon! They're hoping to get all kinds of people from all over the world joining in to make everyone feel part of it.

The TOGs Marathon logo encouraging everyone to take part

The Marathon takes place over 3rd and 4th August 2013, which also happens to coincide with Sir Terry's birthday! It's happening in all corners of the Globe with UK wide participation and small events in Brisbane, Australia and in the USA. Even the TOGmeister himself, Sir Terry Wogan will be getting stuck in and will be joined by Lady Helen, one of the chief TOGs for a stroll in France. Everyone can join in, regardless of the distance you can run or walk, be it 10 yards or 10 miles, the full marathon distance (26 miles 385 yards) or whatever you can manage. The TOGs will then add up all the distances covered by everyone and work out the total number of marathons completed.

Sir Terry started the last race, this time he is joining them!

Participants can register to take part over on the TOGs website and can then ask for sponsorship for their own effort all in aid of BBC Children in Need. There are some small organised events people can take part in: the Isle of Wight, crossing the Forth Road Bridge, Astbury Mere Lake in Congleton, Pitsford Reservoir in Northants and around Brisbane City Centre. They have several Residential Homes joining in with the residents all currently training for the event and looking forward to it.

The great thing about the TOGs marathon is that it really is for everyone, all whilst raising money for children across the UK. Chief TOG, Norman told us: "People who would not normally be able to join in an event such as a marathon can feel part of a big event, even if their contribution is just a small one. Our aim has always been to give people a sense of belonging and increased self belief."

As well as registering to take part in the marathon, you can also give Sir Terry a boost by sponsoring him for his part in the event! We are delighted the TOGs are so committed to fundraising for BBC Children in Need and wish them, and Sir Terry the best of luck for their marathon.

Gary Barlow's Intimate Gig at Chris Evans' pub

2013-07-10T13:10:35+00:00

A fantastic weekend of activity took place last week, 6 July as BBC Radio 2 DJ Chris Evans hosted the annual BBC Children in Need Dine and Disco event with a special one-off performance from Gary Barlow.

The experience, which was auctioned on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2 in November, raised a phenomenal £619,012 for BBC Children in Need. The 25 couples who bid successfully joined Chris for a day of golf at Foxbridge Golf Club followed by an evening to remember at his pub, The Mulberry Inn in Chiddingfold.

Gary Barlow performs at Chris Evans' pub for the Dine & Disco evening

Daytime activities included a bread master class by Paul Hollywood, “nearest to the pork pie” competition, and Vassos’ Big Quiz.

In the evening the lucky bidders enjoyed a sumptuous 5 course dinner cooked by innovative Italian chef Georgio Locatelli and his team, with freshly baked bread by Paul Hollywood and accompanying wines selected by expert Olly Smith. The evening’s music started with a DJ set from Chris Evans followed by a special set from Take That’s Gary Barlow in the TeePee of Love.

Take That frontman, Gary Barlow said: “I’ve played a wide range of venues in my time, but this evening was particularly special. It was great to be able to perform to a crowd who raised such a massive amount of money for BBC Children in Need. Thanks so much to Chris for inviting me to share this great night.”

Chris Evans said: “I’d been looking forward to this evening all year and it was certainly a night to remember for those who joined us. I’m so grateful to Gary for making this auction prize so sought after, it’s raised such a great deal of money for BBC Children in Need – I’m staggered by the support we’ve received.”

The Dine and Disco experience was part of a whole host of auction prizes and activity on BBC Radio 2, raising an incredible £4,010,974 to help change children's lives for the better, all across the UK.

To meet some of the children your money helps in your area, visit our 'Who you Help' section

Monaco Madness Auction raises more than £1million

2013-05-28T10:34:05+00:00

Five couples have experienced the ultimate luxury trip to the 2013 Monaco Grand Prix, raising a phenomenal £1,023,039 for BBC Children in Need.

Back in November, Chris Evans auctioned this incredible package on The BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show. All the money raised will directly help disadvantaged children and young people right here in the UK.

The lucky winners' weekend kicked off on Thursday 23^rd May with a visit to the famous BBC Radio 2 studios in central London, for a behind-the-scenes peek at The Chris Evans Breakfast Show. Five sensational McLarens were waiting on the Plaza outside New Broadcasting House to whisk the group away on their holiday.

Chris and Pudsey wave the lucky couples off

During the trip they met David Coulthard and Eddie Jordan and the highest bidders even got a chance to go on the Grid Walk with F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, as the cars, the driver and all the crews carried out their last minute checks.

The highest bidders were escorted by Bernie Ecclestone on the Grid Walk.

Bidders Sir Tom and Lady Marion Hunter said: "Great weekend for a great cause. What could be better?"

Jim and Tanya, who also won, added: "Fabulous trip with lovely people and organised like a well-oiled machine. Chris is a fantastic easy going host. Hospitality has been second to none. Everyone involved has been so lovely and enthusiastic. Amazing and it keeps getting better."

Spoil your Mum on Mother's Day with our limited edition Designer Pudsey Bears!

2013-03-05T16:21:19+00:00

Why not treat your fashion loving Mum to a special present this Mother’s Day and raise money for BBC CiN at the same time?

Paul Smith (l) and Selfridges & Co (r) Pudsey Bears

We are selling limited edition Paul Smith and Selfridges & Co designed Pudsey Bears on our online shop from today.

If you order by Thursday 7 March, you'll receive your extra-special Pudsey in time to spoil your Mum on Mothering Sunday 2013.

£66 from each Bear will benefit BBC Children in Need. This amount could prevent over 60 children living in poverty in the UK from going hungry at breakfast time for a week. So you'll not only make your Mum very happy, you'll also be helping disadvantaged children right across the UK.

Fundraising round-up: the South West

2012-12-14T17:16:29+00:00

Every year we’re thrilled by the brilliant work that people right around the UK put in to raise money for BBC Children in Need. Here’s just a few examples of some of the brilliant fundraisers from the South West of England who helped us to a record-breaking ‘on the night’ total of £26,575,446.

The University of Exeter Students’ Guild got right in the fundraising spirit – and they were delighted to welcome a very special visitor to their campus to whip up some more support. Watch their YouTube video to see all of the different activities Pudsey got up to. We never knew he was that flexible!

Actor Anthony Head (from Merlin and Buffy the Vampire Slayer) turned up to lend his support to the “Young and Caring” scheme for young carers in St Paul’s in Bristol. They were holding a magical fundraising cupcake workshop and were delighted to get a visit from a TV star!

Anthony Head visits the Young and Caring project in Bristol

Over 1,000 children from 8 Melksham Primary Schools created their own lip-synched video to Katy Perry’s “Firework” and then set up a JustGiving page for parents to make donations to BBC Children in Need. Congratulations everyone!

The team at Webbers Property Services have raised money for BBC Children in Need for many years now, but this time they decided to do something a bit different – they made cake replicas of houses and then auctioned them off to their colleagues and customers! Here’s manager Noel Sexton with his cake construction, which went for a whopping £115. Thanks to Noel and all of his colleagues for raising the grand total of over £2,000!

A delicious cake house that sold for £115

Staff at Red Funnel Isle of Wight Ferries managed to raise money and break a world record at the same time! They held a 24-hour cycle relay in the ferry terminal, with team-members taking it in turns to do stints and collect donations from passengers. However, the star of the show was regular BBC Children in Need fundraiser Gus McKechnie. Gus suffers from a condition called congenital hemiparesis (a form of cerebral palsy) and has lost several family members to the illness. Gus broke the World Record for a 24 hour row on a rowing machine in the LTA (using leg, trunk and arms) disability category, rowing a total distance of 159,000 metres. A stunning achievement, Gus!

Gus McKechnie breaks the rowing world record

And here’s a selection of some of the other fantastic fundraising efforts from the South West:

- 20 staff from Boots in Exeter got sponsored to abseil down the front of their building

- 300 students from The Roseland Community College in Truro recorded a charity single to raise money

- The Phoenix Trampoline Club in Plymouth held a 24-hour Bounceathon to raise money

- Residents at the George Downing House sheltered housing scheme in Plymouth raised over £100 by holding a coffee morning

- Staff and students at Cornwall College went custard crazy, throwing custard-soaked sponges at volunteers in the stocks and even trying to walk on custard

Hopefully some of these stories might inspire you to come up with some even wackier and wilder fundraising activities for BBC Children in Need in 2013!

Appeal Night 2012: Thank you for such an amazing evening!

2012-11-17T02:40:50+00:00

Wow - well THAT was a night and a half, wasn't it? We can't quite believe it's all over, if we're honest. But one thing we absolutely CAN believe - that the British public is just as generous as it always has been.

BBC Breakfast's Bill Turnbull with Pudsey.

In fact, we're thrilled and more than a little bit humbled that in 2012 we actually managed to beat the total raised on the night last year! The final total for 2012, of £26,757,446 is nothing short of brilliant. So thank you, thank you, thank you everyone.

Chris Moyles with holograms of Morecambe and Wise

If you've organised a fundraising event for us, please remember to pay your money in as soon as possible - thanks!

Rest assured that the money you've donated will go to help disadvantaged children who are right on your doorstep all around the UK.

Ann Widdecombe on Strictly Come Dancing

Thank you all - you're amazing!