Lauren is 14 and from Stockport. Her mum has non-epileptic attack disorder, resulting in attacks similar to epileptic fits which can leave her unable to get out of bed. This means Lauren helps her mother carry out everyday tasks such as dressing and cooking, whilst also helping take care of her younger siblings.

Always one to look on the bright side, Lauren is quick to notice the positives of her caring role, saying that: “being a young carer has made me more mature as I have had to grow my responsibilities. I’m more respectful of others now as I can feel for what they are going through.”

Despite this bright outlook though, her responsibilities have had an impact on her own education as she sometimes misses school to care for her family. It's also had an emotional impact and Lauren knows that she sometimes misses out on childhood experiences as her caring responsibilities come first.

Since 2010, Lauren’s been attending a group at Signpost Young Carers in Stockport which is funded by BBC Children in Need. Signpost works directly with young carers to provide support, respite and life skills, as well as the chance to meet other young people from similar backgrounds.

Activities include sports and team-building games as well as work helping young people to cope with their caring roles. Signpost also helps organise residential trips and breaks for young carers, which Lauren has hugely enjoyed.

In the four years that she’s been with the group, Lauren’s gone from strength to strength. She’s become much more confident and has built a strong friendship group.

Talking of the benefits, Lauren says: “It is important to meet with other young carers because it helps me to understand that I am not isolated and there are also other young carers who are in the same situation. It’s comforting to know that you’re not in the situation alone.”

A pillar of support both in her family and to other young carers, she is often found supporting fellow attendees at the project who need someone to talk to. Lauren has also taken a proactive role in raising the profile of young carers, recently delivering a talk to members of her school.  She is the first to admit that, had she not been in the position herself, she probably wouldn’t understand what a young carer was, and is committed to raising awareness.

Looking forward, Lauren is positive about her future, but she’s got advice for other young carers in the same position: “Don’t hide away and keep it to yourself; there’s support there for you so don’t be afraid to ask for it!”

It’s estimated that there are almost a quarter of a million young carers in the UK.  Sadly, in reality these figures could be even higher.  The term young carer refers to anyone under 18, who looks after someone unable to care for themselves. Typical tasks they might help with include cooking and cleaning, and helping someone to get showered, dressed and move around.

All too often the hard work of carers doesn’t get the recognition it deserves, which is why Carers Week was set up.  Now in its twentieth year, Carers Week is a chance for people to learn more about the roles of carers and the great differences they make.

Thanks to your donations we're able to support 87 young carer projects.

For all news from BBC Children in Need, make sure you follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

  

 

With a little help from family and friends, Mateo organised a Fun Walk along Morecambe Promenade which took place on Sunday 29 September. Participants were treated to a scenic morning walk along the seaside, and as Mateo himself was also taking part, they were in great company. Those who completed the race were awarded a medal by Mateo himself, and there were even a few famous faces in the crowd – players from Mateo’s beloved Morecambe FC, as well as the local MP, were part of the crowd lending cheer to the event.

 

With a little help from the local press, Mateo was able to get the word out before the event, and on the day itself over 300 people took part! Mateo got in touch with us shortly after the walk to tell us that he had a great time and was very pleased that the walk raised over £2,500! Half of the proceeds will go to BBC Children in Need, and half will go to Alexandra House in Lancashire. Good work Mateo – we can’t wait to see all the fundraising you’re going to get up to in the years ahead!

 

Next up, we have a daring international fundraising mission – the Teddy Tour Challenge. Presented by the Hywel Girls' Choir & Hywel Boy Singers, The Teddy Tour Challenge had some seriously big aims: to deliver by car 25 teddy bears to 25 orphanages across 27 countries spanning 7,000 miles in less than 350 hours. Nothing like a bit of healthy ambition for fundraising success! Head over to the Teddy Tour Challenge’s Twitter page to see some great pictures of the Pudsey and the team on their travels.   

 

 

 

 

The Teddy Tour Challenge took place in August, and we’re luckily both Helen and Jeremy, the husband and wife team behind the event, made it back safely! We’re also very pleased to say that over £6,700 has been raised for BBC Children in Need so far – an amazing amount!

 

Our final Hero this week is Dawn Craven from Moreton, who has courageously chosen to go Bear-headed for BBC Children in Need this year. Dawn is an employee of one of our awesome fundraising partner’s, Burton’s Biscuits, who have really pulled out all their stops with their fundraising this year, and Dawn is one of their standout fundraising heroes! Check out the picture below – even Pudsey stepped in to wish Dawn good luck on her big day. Dawn’s haircut has raised an amazing £3239.96, every penny of which will go towards changing the lives of children and young people right here in the UK. Thank you Dawn!  

 

 

 

 

 

Have you got what it takes to #BeAHero for BBC Children in Need this year? We think you do! For lots of great fundraising inspiration check out our ideas page and download one of our free 2013 fundraising packs – it’s full of great ideas that’ll have you up and about in a fundraising frenzy in no time at all! 

 

If you’ve already chosen to be a fundraising hero this year, 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 adventures you've been embarking on in the name of BBC Children in Need. 

 

Simply email your local address here, 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!

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We’re always impressed by ambitious fundraising, so when Lee Sutton told us of his record-breaking plans, we immediately crowned him a fundraising superstar. Lee has joined forces with Uthink, a charity supporting young adults, to attempt the largest indoor fashion photography shoot ever. The shoot takes place on 9 November, and Lee is hoping to gather over 300 people for a day of posing and pouting, with all profit going to BBC Children in Need. The event, being held in Bolton, will be professionally assessed, and it seems like Lee is well on the way to breaking a world record and raising a lot of money. Impressive stuff!

 

Lee told us, “The idea just popped into my head in the middle of the night, first to attempt a world record, and then to do it for charity. Just recently becoming a father myself, I thought of BBC Children in Need. The event is a simple idea, to attempt to set a world record whilst raising money. Models and make-up artists pay £1, the photographers pay £15.”

 

Whether you love to strut your stuff down the catwalk, or just really like saying the word ‘cheese!’ there’s lots of opportunities to get involved. You could release your inner supermodel or flex your photographic expertise, or simply make a donation; check out the event’s Facebook page for details.

 

Not everyone has been working quite as hard as Lee, however. We’ve heard rumours that our very own Pudsey is going to be treating himself to a late summer holiday. Pudsey’s taking a long trip around 35 Haven holidays resorts, and he’s making a couple of stops in the North West. Pudsey will be doing all sorts of fun things on his visits, so be sure to say hello if you see him! The North West leg of his Haven tour takes him to both the Lakeland and Cala Gran parks on 12 September and then on to the Marton Mere resort on 13 September. 

 

Of course Pudsey has always been a fundraising superstar, but it’s the staff at Haven holidays who we want to highlight here. Companies like Haven make an invaluable contribution each year – they’ve already raised an incredible £130,000 this year. If you’re part of an organisation that has the potential to be a great fundraiser, why not start thinking about how you could get your colleagues fundraising? You’ll be helping to support children and young people at projects all over the UK, including where you live. Visit out our website for tips and ideas on being a top fundraiser.

 

Staff and students at Dallam School Sixth Form in Cumbria look set to rock their way to fundraising glory on 12 November. They’ll be transforming into their musical heroes for a special ‘Stars in their Eyes’ concert. There’s guaranteed to be some truly intense performances, and there’s also cake sale to help performers refuel after rocking out on stage. Chloe Osmotherly, the Sixth Form’s Charity Rep, emailed about the event – good luck, Chloe. Please send us some photos afterwards!

 

Finally, our last fundraising superstar is John Paul Brownbill from Cheshire, who made us smile with his plan to dress up as Doctor Who for a whole week in November. Team Pudsey are huge fans of the Time Lord so we wish you the best of luck John.

 

A huge thank you to our fundraisers – every donation helps children and young people right here in the UK. If you’re currently fundraising or just in the brainstorming phase, let us know! Just email your local address on this page to tell us what you’re up to. You can also get in touch on Twitter by following us and tagging @BBCCiN. We can help you to promote your fundraising events and maybe, just maybe, you could be a BBC Children in Need fundraising superstar!

 

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.

A week later, Euan’s mum Kellie got a phone call from school to say that he was holding his arm in an unusual way. Kellie took him back to hospital expecting it to be a minor problem with his collar-bone, but another x-ray revealed a 5 ½ inch tumour.

Euan was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma (which the family came to call Euan’s Sarcoma), an aggressive form of bone cancer. His consultant gave him six weeks to live.

First came intensive chemotherapy, which caused Euan's hair, eyebrows, eye lashes, finger nails and toe nails to fall out. Then it was decided that the only way to ensure his long-term survival would be to amputate his arm. For Kellie that conversation was the hardest she’s ever had. Euan was puzzled and distressed. How could any five-year-old understand such a traumatic situation?

After the operation, it took Euan an enormous amount of readjustment. He kept reaching for things with his right hand, but it wasn’t there to use. He could feel his hand still there, had phantom pains and was very self-conscious. Further operations were needed to remove nerve endings which continued to grow causing even more severe pain.

With two babies 20 months apart and Euan not sleeping, Kellie felt helpless. But then the Rainbow Trust Children's Charity stepped in.

With funding from BBC Children in Need they provided Ben, a Family Support Worker. When Euan was in hospital, Ben came every day to play chess and keep him company. Ben also took him on trips to the Manchester Museum in his wheelchair and made sure mum had a break. It was a relief to Kellie to know that someone was there with him, meaning she could sleep and look after the two baby girls. And Rainbow Trust has remained that constant, unfailing, practical support ever since. Day-to-day life would have been impossible without them, she says.

Now 15, Euan is through the worst. He’s managed to catch up at school, and has just been awarded an A in his Geology GCSE which he took a year early. He’s passionate about rocks and fossils and is determined to become a palaeontologist.

Euan is now out of his wheelchair and the weekly hospital visits are nearly over. He told his family to clear their diaries as he can’t wait to be spending more time with them!

 
“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.

Twin Vision is a project which provides access to video and digital equipment to children and young people who have suffered bereavement.

Their film called Echoes of Substance Misuse won Best Documentary Film and was chosen because of its honest portrayal of substance misuse.

One of the judges was TV presenter Dawn Porter. Talking about the documentary, she said: "It showed great maturity in tackling such a serious issue. The film tackles the issue head on, never skirting around the topic. A very powerful and informative piece… a film and a message that needs to be told. I believe other young people would greatly benefit from seeing this film".

Twin Vision worked with young people from across Liverpool making sure they treated the sensitive personal stories that developed with respect.

The story is based around local rapper Mike aka Innuendo who fell into a life of drugs and crime before turning his life around and is now a successful music artist. But the film also revealed a wide range of narratives showing the negative effects choosing a life involving drugs can produce.

Find out more about who BBC Children in Need help in your area by clicking here.

Watch our appeal films by clicking here.

Over 48 hours, some 25,000 festival-goers soaked up the late summer sun in the grounds of Cholmondeley Castle in Cheshire. They were treated to three of Chris Evans' favourite things: fantastic cars, great rock music and the very best in British food!

Car lovers from far and wide had turned up to watch some of the world's most famous vehicles race around the Chomlondeley circuit - and they certainly weren't disappointed. From Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason in his own Ferrari 512S (which starred alongside Steve McQueen in the Le Mans movie) plus some incredible driving displays from 2003 World Rally Champion Petter Solberg in his Ford Fiesta RS WRC through to Chris Evans opening the whole show in the legendary original Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, there really was something for all petrol-heads to enjoy.

The fun didn't stop when the cars stopped revving their engines, because a fantastic line-up of top pop bands took to the stage on both evenings of the festival to bring the crowd to their feet, with stirring live performances from bands including Texas, Paloma Faith, The Proclaimers, The Magic Numbers and Razorlight. And rumbling tummies were given a welcome treat by the “Cakes vs Pies” competition, judged by The Great British Bake-Off’s Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood.

“CarFest North and South have been a dream team of food, music, cars and fun. The jackpot has been the family atmosphere, dictated by the children themselves,” enthused a delighted Evans as the curtain came down in Cheshire. “Happy smiling faces from dawn till dusk and beyond - reminding us adults how to play! Both venues were fabulous and we thank our hosts very much, the Scheckters for CarFest South and the Cholmondeleys for CarFest North. Here's to next year and by the time we've counted all those CarFest pennies, Pudsey and BBC Children In Need should be very happy. Thank you again one and all.”

And with the staggering news that this year’s two CarFest events are on course to raise a jaw-dropping £800,000 for BBC Children in Need, one thing’s for sure – we’d like to thank a certain Mr Chris Evans and all of his team for their incredible hard work and commitment to fundraising for us. You’re amazing!

Browse through a gallery of images from CarFest North by clicking here.