BBC Children in Need Feed

Bright Sparks

Pudsey Bear — Thu, 23 Oct 2014 13:22:24 +0000

Fraser’s mum Shona had a perfect pregnancy. But during his birth, Fraser’s heart stopped and he was starved of oxygen. Near death for the next 72 hours, he spent the next six days in intensive care. After four more long days, Shona and Fraser were finally allowed home, where her plans for motherhood changed forever. Fraser’s traumatic birth had left him with Cerebral Palsy, a neurological condition that affects movement, co-ordination and sometimes even communication.

Shona had to leave her job: looking after Fraser and his older brother Mark needed all of her time and energy. And although she tried taking Fraser along to mother and toddler groups, she didn’t feel comfortable when he couldn’t keep up with the other children.

Then she found Bright Sparks, a special place where disabled children can play and socialise with other youngsters: its busy building hosts clubs every night of the week as well as during school holidays.

Based in an old schoolhouse in Midlothian, Scotland - wrangled from the hands of the council ten years ago by founder Louise Gough - it’s a small space where magic happens.

Shona instantly found Bright Sparks to be a lifeline: it was there that she met other mums with disabled children and finally felt like there were people who understood the difficulties of her situation. Fraser loved Bright Sparks from his first visit, especially the holiday club, funded by BBC Children in Need. He now goes on trips away with his brother, Mark.

It’s something Shona never thought she’d see: Doctors always told her that her little boy wouldn’t walk or talk, but Fraser is thriving at Bright Sparks – both emotionally and physically.

After starting physiotherapy at 10 months, and with the help of Bright Sparks, he’s now walking and starting to talk. Shona puts this down to the positive reinforcement from all the staff, who have boosted his confidence enormously.

“It was such a relief to find Bright Sparks - you think you’re the only person in the world with a disabled child,” she says. “Fraser is so comfortable at Bright Sparks, I see his eyes light up when he hears its name. It gives me strength coming here, and I dread to think what life would be like without them".

"Holiday times are particularly hard, as all routine goes out the window. The Bright Sparks trips are a wonderful help and it’s great that Fraser and Mark can have quality time together as brothers.”

Bright Sparks is so popular that it has a long waiting list for all its groups. It has even started rotating children so everyone gets time at the centre. Thanks to your Heroic donations, many more children will get the support they need from the centre in years to come.

Supporting BBC Children in Need, no matter how big or small your contribution, makes a real difference to the lives of children and young people right on your doorstep.

Raising just £2.50 could help supply a special pack for premature babies with life-limiting conditions. And £250 means a child with Cerebral Palsy and his family can continue to have healthy meals by paying for a new cooker after their old one was condemned as unsafe.

Sign up to our Fundraising Hero Hub to access exclusive news, tools and tips that will help get your Heroic fundraising activities off to a flying start!

Live BBC Outside Broadcasts for Children in Need appeal night

Paul Condon — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 14:26:20 +0000

As I'm sure you all know by now, this year's BBC Children in Need appeal night takes place this Friday, with a whole host of entertainment coming to you direct from BBC TV Centre in London.

However, there are lots of other BBC Children in Need outside broadcasts being staged right around the UK. Have a look at our list below to see where your nearest one is. Why not pop along and enjoy a Pudsey-tastic night with your local BBC TV teams?

We advise checking with the venue before travelling to confirm ticketing arrangements and event timings. We cannot be held responsible for any late changes to broadcasts or events.

ABERDEEN

6pm - 10pm, Beach Ballroom, Beach Promenade, Aberdeen

This year BBC Scotland are bringing Children in Need to The Beach Ballroom. Presented by Jackie Bird who will be in amongst the audience finding out what they have done to raise money for Children in Need. There will also be two very special performances from the BBC Scotland Children in Need Choir.

Jackie Bird dances with Pudsey Bear

BIRMINGHAM

6pm - 10pm, BBC Mailbox, Birmingham

Entertainment will include music and dance in the BBC Public Space, and an entertainer and brass band outside.

CAMBRIDGE

6.30pm onwards, West Road Concert Hall (Cambridge University Concert Hall), 11 West Road, Cambridge

Choir concert at Cambridge University Concert Hall. Tickets: http://www.westroad.org/event-info/bbc-east-children-in-need/

EXETER

6pm - 10pm, The University Forum, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter

Lots of Pudsey fun on the night with stilt walkers, circus acts, live music, mountain bike stunt displays, interactive fun science activities and lots more. Come along in fundraising costumes, fancy dress or wearing bright spots. Will be broadcasting live from the University into the Spotlight programme at 1830, in the run up to the big event where the scene will be set for the Children in Need television broadcasts throughout the evening to 10pm. Tickets: http://www.exeter.ac.uk/eventexeter/news/archive/title_234297_en.html

LEICESTERSHIRE

6.30pm - 9pm, Conkers Discovery Centre in the National Forest, Rawdon Road (B586), Moira, Nr Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Derbyshire

Activities include face-painting, crafts and music and children can explore the Conkers Enchanted Forest adventure play area. The Olive Tree restaurant will be also be open. BBC East Midlands Today presenter Anne Davies will be hosting the event and broadcasting live from Conkers throughout the evening from 6.30pm

LEWES, EAST SUSSEX

6.20pm - 10pm, Glyndebourne, New Road, Ringmer, Lewes, East Sussex

The BBC and Glyndebourne will host a special evening of fun and music at the world famous opera house. A choir of over two hundred children from across the South East will come together for the first time to perform. The event will be hosted by Danny Pike from BBC Sussex and broadcast live from 6.30pm on BBC One in the South East, presented by Julia George. There is no dress code for the event but please wrap up warm. Tickets: http://glyndebourne.com/production/bbc-children-need-2012

LONDON

6pm - 10pm, The Tower of London ice rink

Ice-skating outside the Tower of London, 1 hour session (from 6-7pm). Need to arrive 45minutes before ice skating session. BBC London will be broadcasting live from the side of the ice-rink where they’ll be meeting and saying thank you to London fundraisers. Tickets: http://www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours/shows/shows/bbc_london_cin_16nov12

NORTHUMBERLAND

6.30pm - 10pm, Alnwick Gardens (at Alnwick Castle), Denwick Lane, Alnwick, Northumberland NE66 1YU

A spectacular After-Dark Party with entertainment such as a Zip Wire, balloon artists, Punch and Judy shows, circus workshops, a magician, face painters, stilt walkers and musical accompaniment. Tickets: http://www.alnwickgarden.com/events/107/bbc-children-in-need-after-dark-garden-party

PRESTON

6pm - 10pm, Museum of Lancashire, Stanley Street, Preston PR1 4YP (01772 534075)

The North West OB will have Hacker the dog playing judge to all the fundraisers. Fundraising heroes will speak about their achievements as young people getting involved. Entertainment also include a Bluegrass Band bringing banjos, a bath of slime, face painters. Please contact the Museum to check if tickets are required.

ROTHERHAM

6pm - 9.30pm, Magna Science Adventure Centre, Sheffield Road, Rotherham, S60 1DX

The attractions at the Magna Science Adventure Centre will be open for people to look around. There will also be a choir and live TV broadcasts.

SCUNTHORPE

7pm, Baths Hall, Doncaster Road, Scunthorpe, South Humberside DN15 7RG

Concert hosted by Peter Levy and Paul Hudson and parts of it will be broadcast live on Look North. Choirs taking part include; Hot Gospel, Voice Call, Shower Singers, Harmony Lincs, Ling Moor Primary School Choir, St Mary's College Hull and the Scunthorpe Co-operative Junior Choir. Tickets cost £10 - http://www.scunthorpetheatres.co.uk/performance/21088.aspx

SWINDON

6pm - 10pm, STEAM Museum of the Great Western Railway, Fire Fly Avenue, Swindon SN2 2EH

BBC Wiltshire’s Lee Stone will broadcast his drivetime programme live from the STEAM museum. BBC Wiltshire’s Ben Prater will be joined by Mark Millar from BBC One’s DIY SOS to host an area of entertainment within the museum. Come along in fancy dress! Tickets: http://www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours/shows/shows/west_cin_2012

WINCHESTER

6.30pm - 9.30pm, InTech Hands-On Science Centre, Telegraph Way, Morn Hill, Winchester, Hampshire, SO21 1HZ

Broadcasting live during the 6.30pm evening news, choir and other exhibits and activities. Refreshments available to purchase.

BBC Scotland's Children in Need Choir

Paul Condon — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 14:49:17 +0000

During the BBC Children in Need Appeal Show on Friday 16 November, choirs of children and young people from all around the UK will perform together, live on BBC One.

With just three weeks to go until their live performance in front of the whole nation, the BBC Scotland Children In Need Choir came together for the first time this week - 123 pupils from 22 schools across Aberdeen and the Shire!

The choir at their first rehearsal.

Choir Master Andrew Panton guided the students, who range from 9-17 years, and helped them with their harmonies while the teachers looked proudly down from the balcony.

Pudsey paid a very special visit and the Choir were delighted to see him as you can see! Pudsey was very impressed with the singing and gave a massive thumbs up!

Students from Mearns Academy give Pudsey the thumbs up

Good luck, everyone!

UPDATE, Thursday 8 November

Just over a week to go until the big performance and here are the senior girls showing everyone how it’s done!

The BBC CiN choir in Scotland's senior girls in rehearsal

Choir Master for the evening David Higham thought the choir did a fantastic job: "They are going to blow the UK away with their singing! They are a great Choir and the harmonies are sounding brilliant."

The countdown is on!

UPDATE: Thursday 22nd November 2012

The Choir did an amazing job on Friday night! Their hard work really paid off, they sounded fantastic and got the actions spot on!

The choir performs live to the nation on Appeal Night 2012.

Proud parents and teachers looked on, and they wowed the BBC Children In Need fundraising audience.

A massive thank you to the Choir, parents and of course Andrew Panton who drew the natural talent out of the youngsters.

Andrew, the team and Pudsey were all delighted with the performance. Well done!

Pudsey's Plans for CiN in Scotland

Paul Condon — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 17:02:22 +0000

With under a month to go until this year’s BBC Children in Need Pudsey is getting ready for all the fundraising activities planned in Scotland – with the TV appeal coming live from the Beach Ballroom in Aberdeen for the very first time.

Jackie Bird dances with Pudsey Bear

Jackie Bird is back at the helm for BBC One Scotland and will be presenting highlights of the activities across the country in front of an audience of fundraisers. They will be entertained by 125 children, from across Aberdeen and the North East of Scotland, who will be singing their hearts out as part of a UK nationwide choir on the big night on Friday 16 November. The song will be Bridge Over Troubled Water and the Scottish choir will also be performing an additional song which will be seen on the BBC One Scotland highlights programme on Saturday 17 November.

Viewers will also see some of the projects where the money raised for BBC Children in Need goes to in Scotland. These will be the Scottish Centre for Children with Motor Impairments based in Cumbernauld which supports children with cerebral palsy and other motor impairment conditions in Scotland, Over The Wall which provides children with life limiting illnesses residential activity camps, and KITS (Kids in the Street) which helps children in the Niddrie area of Edinburgh and encourages healthy living and social skills by allowing the young people to play football in a safe and supervised environment.

There will be a full day of fundraising action on BBC Radio Scotland, kicking off with Call Kaye at 8.50am. Highlights throughout the day include celebrity guests dropping into MacAulay and Co for a chat before taking up the challenge to see how many pledges and donations they can take over the phone in the special call centre set up in BBC Scotland. MacAulay and Co will be broadcasting live from the Pacific Quay reception to a live audience.

A special programme at midday, Pudsey Pays Out, looks at the work BBC Children in Need supports in Scotland. In 2012 BBC Children in Need awarded grants worth just over £5.1 million to 121 projects across Scotland. This programme takes a closer look at just a few of the grants awarded from previous appeals to explore the difference this funding makes to young people’s lives.

The Comedy Café at 1.15pm will see Janice Forsyth joined by Janey Godley and Roddy Hart and more as she goes through musical heaven or hell – with donations deciding on whether she will have a song performed by a professional or a bad celebrity guest singer. Following this, Tom Morton will be live from Aberdeen with an audience of fundraisers as well as music from Love and Money.

Finally Bryan Burnett will round off BBC Radio Scotland’s day of fundraising programmes with an action-packed Get It On BBC Children in Need Special from 6pm, where he and his live audience will be joined by The View and Frightened Rabbit as well as other special guests. Free tickets for this show will be available from Monday 29 October.

Meanwhile, Radio nan Gaidheal will be broadcasting a live ceilidh from the Ness Social Club in Lewis. Hosted by popular radio presenters Morag MacDonald and, returning to his homeland, Derek ‘Pluto’ Murray, this will be a real community based event. The Stuart Taylor Band will provide the music for the evening and other local artistes will be confirmed in the coming weeks. The children’s radio show Aileag will also broadcast live from the Ness Social Club with a gathering of local youngsters joining in the Pudsey inspired fun.

Members of the public will also be welcome throughout the day at BBC Scotland’s headquarters at Pacific Quay in Glasgow as there will be a special BBC Children in Need bank and shop in reception.

Kaye Adams gets knocked out by Pudsey.

UPDATE: 20 November 2012

Sadly owing to illness, Jackie Bird wasn't able to present BBC Scotland's events this year. We're very grateful to Kaye Adams for stepping in at short notice and doing a fantastic job. Thanks Kaye - you're a knockout!