BBC Children in Need Feed

Going the Extra Mile for Pudsey Bear

2014-07-17T15:05:56+00:00

Summer is upon us! This may mean that, in true British fashion, the weather rotates between overcast and rainy with rare and fleeting bursts of proper sunshine, but it’s still summer nonetheless! It also means that a lot of keen Brits are fastening their laces, hitting the road, and running races for charity all over the UK. In case you were thinking of running for BBC Children in Need this year, we wanted to share the story of an inspirational group of fundraisers with you. Who knows, it might just give you the inspiration to embark on your own fundraising challenge…

The Gump Challenge

Last September, a truly heroic group of firefighters from Tamworth took to the road for an epic challenge – all in aid of BBC Children in Need. The Gump Challenge, a 9-day, 280 mile circular run through the hilly terrain of Staffordshire, saw the brave group running over a marathon every day!

The Gump Challenge looking chirpy on the first day of their challenge

The group had planned their journey carefully, and as the journey went on, the increasingly beaten and battered Gumpers bunked down every night in a different Fire Station along the way. Once they finished for the day, the group would have a chilly ice bath before bed, waking up ready to hit the road again for another demanding day. By the time the group crossed the finish line they’d run 280 miles through gale-force winds, piercing rain, sweltering highs and freezing cold lows.

In true Forrest Gump style, the team encouraged members of the public to get their kit out and join them on their challenge. It might seem like having the occasional stranger on your run might be slow you down, or be a distraction, but for The Gumpers it proved to be the opposite.

When we asked group leader Matt how he and his colleagues stayed motivated throughout the run, he told us that it was the amazing and inspiration people they met from all over the county that kept the group running all the way to the finish line.

And a little later, a wet but happy team.

It was an amazing challenge - and an incredible physical undertaking. But at the end of the day, when all the money was collected in, it proved to be well worth it. The brave and bold Gumpers raised over £5,590 for charity. Half of this money was given to a very grateful Pudsey Bear, - every penny will go towards helping disadvantaged children and young people. The other half will be given to The Fire Fighter’s Charity.

Feeling inspired? Well, if you and your colleagues, or your friends and family feel like proving your mettle and stretching your legs, we’ve asked Matt, main Gumper, for his top tips on how to have a good running challenge. He kindly offered the following sage advice:

1. Invest in a suitable pair of running trainers! Your local running shop will be able to advise you on the right pair for you, this could be cushioned or more 'structured' for support. A good pair of trainers will help to protect you against the possibility of running related injuries.

2. Don't be afraid to walk! Just because you are setting out on a running programme doesn't mean that you can't take a walk-run approach. Building in some walking breaks will enable you to build your endurance more quickly than if you run for longer and then stop to get your breath back.

3. Use the 10% rule! It is easy to get carried away when you are enjoying something new and seeing improvement. Increasing your mileage too quickly can lead to injury, so a good rule of thumb is not to increase your distances by more than 10% each week.

4. Keep well hydrated. Make sure you drink plenty throughout the day so you start your run well hydrated - if you feel dry you are already dehydrated. Fruit and vegetables have a high water content, so a healthy, balanced diet will help you to keep well hydrated.

5. Remember to stretch! I personally prefer to stretch after I run, rather than before. Muscles are best stretched when they are warm and pliable, rather than cold and short. Build yourself a little routine, where you slow your pace at the end of a run or walk a few hundred metres, then stretch your main muscle groups - back, quadriceps (front of your thigh), hamstrings (back of your thigh), calves and shoulders.

Feeling ambitious? Think you could organise an even better challenge? Well, then, give it a try! Whatever you do, don’t forget to let us know. You can email us on this page here, or tag us on Facebook @officialpudsey or Twitter and Instagram @BBCCiN. Go on, Be a Hero!

Being a Young Carer has made me a fighter!

2014-05-09T12:48:43+00:00

It's 5.30pm on a Monday evening and the start of a group session at Crossroads Care. The young people gather around to hear the welcome talk from staff before becoming a blur of colourful and bustling activity with the mix of ping pong, cooking, games and workshops. You might think it's like any other centre for kids until you realise that for these young people, who are all young carers, free time is extremely limited and precious so it’s no wonder they make the most of this snapshot whilst they can.

17-year-old Savanna is a young carer who attends Crossroads Care

Savanna, who is 17, shares her story: “I was 12 when I became a young carer because my mum had kidney failure. I know way too much about all the medical terms associated with dialysis and the enduring pain of treatment and organ replacement. I handle the family’s finances, which makes me stressed so my dyslexia gets worse. It can be really tough.”

There are an estimated 244,000 young carers in the UK under 19 and 23,000 of those are under 9 years old though many suspect the actual figure is a lot higher. Young carers provide an important contribution to their family but their caring responsibilities can have a devastating effect on their personal wellbeing, their education and ultimately employment prospects. Many young carers suffer bullying because of their caring role which leads to low self-esteem, loss of confidence and isolation.

"Have fun, make friends and enjoy childhood"

Crossroads Care West Kent works with 170 young carers aged between 5 and 18 in the Maidstone and Malling areas of Kent. Staff organise free weekly group sessions where young carers can meet and socialise whilst getting hands-on with just about every kind of activity including trips and holiday adventures. It’s important for young carers to realise they are not the only ones and have time away from their family to increase self-esteem and confidence.

Irene Jeffrey, CEO at Crossroads Care West Kent says: “Many young carers who come to us feel so alone with their huge caring responsibilities. They feel they have no-one they can turn to for help. Our clubs introduces them to others who have the same life experiences and know what they are going through. Above all else, we provide young carers with a chance to have fun, make friends and enjoy their childhood. It is a pleasure and a privilege to support them. I can’t thank BBC Children in Need enough for making it all possible.”

One of the additional services is preparing the young person to leave home. This can be a tricky time as whilst some young carers have high ambitions, others question if they can even go on to higher education and leave family responsibilities behind.

Savanna says: “Back in April 2013 I started as a council apprentice, but now have secured a permanent position. I have also done some motivational speaking and attended a project, counselling young adults with disabilities. Everything I've experienced has made me a fighter!”

"The support has been unbelievable"

At the end of the session at Crossroads there is a real family atmosphere and everyone is so supportive of one another. It is no surprise that some of the young people have the passion to stay on as volunteers and even go on to caring professions.

Savanna is aiming high: “I am currently chasing my dreams and working with a recording company in London to complete two of my own songs. If I had not attended regular sessions at Crossroads Care I would not have had the confidence to make the leap. The support that they have provided and the opportunities they have presented me with are unbelievable!”.

Thanks to your donations we're able to support Crossroads Care and 86 other young carer projects.

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

Happy Easter from Toby, Lucas and Stamford

2014-04-17T10:25:27+00:00

Toby, Lucas and Stamford are getting into the Easter spirit by colouring in Easter eggs! For these children though, it’s not just about having fun. All three have cerebral palsy, a condition affecting the part of the brain that controls muscle movement. By learning to hold the pencils correctly and colouring within the lines, they are also developing crucial co-ordination skills.

Toby with his mum Pippa

They all go to The London Centre for Children with Cerebral Palsy in Muswell Hill, a specialist centre for children with cerebral palsy which is supported by BBC Children in Need. It’s open every day for families to come along and take part in free tailored sessions, helping children to reach their potential.

Toby is five and has been attending sessions at the Centre for three years. When he first started going, things were really hard for him. As a toddler, he had been developing perfectly until an accident left him with severe brain injury. He was in hospital for a long time and doctors said he’d never walk or talk again. He had little functionality and couldn’t even swallow. But Toby’s been slowly proving the doctors wrong. Incredibly, he started talking last year and his mum Pippa is overjoyed to be able to have a conversation with him. He’s also on his feet and walking unaided, something Pippa never thought she’d see.

Lucas and his mum Anne

Lucas is four and started going to the Centre last October. Since then, he’s learnt to walk on his own and his speech has improved. When he was asked at nursery what he most enjoys doing, he replied: “When mum picks me up and takes me to Muswell Hill”, meaning the Centre. He goes there to play, make new friends and, crucially, become more independent.

Stamford and Kata, a conductor funded by BBC Children in Need

Three-year-old Stamford is a Chelsea-mad football fan and has been going to the Centre for most of his life. He was born with cerebral palsy and has been attending sessions since he was only one years old. He has made fantastic progress, after being told by doctors he would never walk. He’s gone from shuffling around on his bottom to walking unaided. And he never stops smiling! Despite being visually impaired and having limited speech, he can still name every single player in Chelsea football club!

Thanks to your fundraising efforts and generous donations, we’ve been able to help children like Toby, Lucas and Stamford. Find out more about the projects we fund in your area, and follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news.

Who You Help: Sufyan and MG

2014-03-19T14:45:00+00:00

Less than a year ago, Sufyan was like any other 12-year-old boy. He loved playing sport, especially football and rugby, liked hanging out with his mates and was looking forward to being a teenager getting up to trouble! Then very unexpectedly, his life began to unravel.

In the middle of 2013 Sufyan, who lives with his family in East London, began to have muscle aches which his mum Julie put down to growing pains typical for a boy his age.

She recalls: “By October Sufyan was falling over inexplicably and was always tired. Back and forth we took him to the doctors but it was a mystery. He stopped making the sports practices that he loved and even doing up shirt buttons had become a challenge! I was worried and beginning to suspect that he was being bullied and trying to avoid school.”

After a particularly bad fall on the way to school an ambulance was called and it was the neurological doctors at the hospital who first suggested that Sufyan might be suffering from Myasthenia Gravis.

Myasthenia Gravis (MG) is an auto immune disease that is rare in children effecting 1 in every 100,000. It causes muscle weakening across the body though can be different in each case and fluctuate wildly. Siblings, parents, social work staff and school staff are therefore often not able to grasp the seriousness of the disease and think that the child (or the mother) is making it up.

In January 2014 Sufyan was diagnosed with MG which was both a shock and a relief to him and his family.

Sufyan says: “I’m still taking it all in. On a good day I will be able to do some sports and feel normal. On a bad day my eyes and head droops and my body fails me, it won’t move fast enough. It’s like an energy suck. I feel useless and don’t see the point in doing homework or planning for the future. I never know when it’s going to hit me and I get embarrassed.”

The family recently had their first appointment at Great Ormond Street Hospital where doctors there were finally able to explain the disease and its treatment. Julie hit the search engines and discovered the Myasthenia Gravis Association (MGA) which offers an excellent virtual and telephone support network.

Part funded by BBC Children in Need the MGA run an annual weekend for children and young people with Myasthenia Gravis and Congenital Myasthenia Syndrome. Both of these diseases are extremely isolating and misunderstood. The weekends are an opportunity for children, siblings and parents to meet other families going through the same challenges. There is a packed timetable of activities and all about developing friendships and support bonds with real life families rather than medical professionals.

Rita Goldthorp who works for the MGA says the weekends have a dramatic effect on families.

“The difference having the funds from BBC Children in Need and other very generous trusts and individuals really has to be seen to be believed. The children have made friends and the recognition as people arrive on the Friday evening makes their faces light up and after a few minutes it’s as though they met only yesterday. Being with people who understand that yes I want to go for a swim and then after 5-10 minutes I can’t swim any more my energy has gone is a perfectly normal everyday occurrence and not a child who is being difficult or “silly”. You are believed and this for a child is like waving a magic wand – and yes, we do have a magician who comes along to do some tricks!”

The doctors are keen to get Sufyan back into his football boots but need to get his medication right first. In light of his physical body failing him Sufyan turns his talents to a more cerebral outlet. An avid writer, he has composed a new poem to explain what it’s like living with Myasthenia Gravis.

A poem by Sufyan:

As I walk down the road I start to get weak, my tongue gets heavy as I try to speak.

I have to stop and wait, I need to tell mum I'll be late.

I can’t even lift the phone to my face , how am I going to call her? my heart starts to race.

I sit down and take my medication, I need to relax , I need to be patient.

Anger, frustration, I don't know how to cope but in my mind there still is hope.

Even though, right now it's a dream I know that one day I will be fit, rich and have self-esteem.

Sufyan and his family are now looking forward to the MGA weekend in June 2014.

Who You Help: Chickenshed

2014-03-17T11:45:34+00:00

In 1974 musician and composer Jo Collins met Mary Ward, a teacher and director. With an inclusive approach they both believed in sharing the creativity in everyone and anyone so they started a theatre company in the only building they had access to at the time - a lowly chicken shed.

Part funded by BBC Children in Need, 2014 is the theatre's 40th Festival Year and celebrations have already started with a new show which is ruffling plenty of feathers.

An Awfully Big Performance takes audiences on a journey to celebrate the inclusive theatre's past, present and future. Expect snapshots of dance, music, song and drama from an exceptional cast of diverse performers such as sisters Ophir and Noa:

Orphir (left) in An Awfully Big Performance

“My name is Ophir and I am 18 years old. I have been part of Chickenshed since I was a baby. I first came to ‘Tales for the Shed’ and then joined the Children's Theatre, so about 17 years - that’s all my life! In this show I have worked with Robin, Emma, Louise and Georgie. They are passionate, inspiring and understanding. I've learnt from them how to push on and boost my confidence. The best bit of this show is my duet with my sister Noa. It makes me feel so special.”

Based in north London, Chickenshed has been working with socially excluded groups for the last 4 decades. Still true to their all-embracing original ethos, the theatre now have at least 600 children on their books, many of whom face significant social or financial hardship or have recognised additional needs.

Noa (middle) in An Awfully Big Performance

“My name is Noa and I am 12. I have been part of the theatre company for six years which is half my life! For an Awfully Big Performance I have been working with Louise, Lauren and Georgie. I would describe them as supportive, determined and helpful. I have learnt that they are great teachers and put a lot of effort and time into Chickenshed to make it a great place and to make the show the best it can be. The best bit about the show is the people you meet, the friends you make and the feel of the community and love amongst the people. I love the feeling you have being on stage.”

The theatre has seen incredible success over the last 40 years and helped many young people to increase their confidence and creativity, form deeper and more trustful relationships plus find an independence and ambition they never knew they had! No wonder there is a waiting list of more than 1000 people.

To see Ophir and Noa performing on stage head to the Chickenshed website as the run ends on Sunday 23 March and tickets are selling fast!

Who You Help: Hearing Dogs for Deaf Children

2013-12-24T10:30:48+00:00

Seven year-old Klara has had moderate hearing loss in her left ear and profound hearing loss in her right ear since she was born. She suffered from countless ear infections which meant that she couldn’t always wear her hearing aids; this resulted in her speech development being severely delayed. However once she started school and had access to a Hearing Resource Space which involved a teacher for the deaf and speech and language therapy, her speech really took off.

Klara and her Hearing Dog, Jasper

One day, her grandmother saw a lady in the supermarket with a dog wearing a Hearing Dogs for Deaf People coat so she started chatting to her out of curiosity. Her grandmother passed the information that she had learned onto Klara’s mum, Michele. Michele went online and soon discovered that Hearing Dogs, based in Buckinghamshire, had just launched a pilot scheme available for children in certain areas of the UK. Michele contacted them in March 2012 and after a conversation, it was determined that Klara was eligible for a dog.

Klara and her family went to an information day in May and the staff at Hearing Dogs for Deaf People were instantly impressed by the way Klara behaved around dogs. Klara and her family had never had a dog but she seemed naturally at ease with them. After going through the initial interview and form-filling process, Hearing Dogs carried out a home assessment and discussed Klara’s weekly routine. In September 2012, the family found out that Klara had been accepted onto the programme.

Two months later, they went to meet Jasper and stayed in Hearing Dogs accommodation with him. That was the first night Klara slept in her own bedroom – even though it was a strange, new place – because she had Jasper with her. Until then, she had always been too frightened to sleep in her own room so slept in her parents’ bed. Then, just in time for Christmas last year, Klara and two other deaf children received their hearing dogs and training. Klara said it was: “The best Christmas present I could ever get!”

A year on, her life continues to be transformed. Jasper, a working cocker spaniel, continues to enable Klara to sleep well at night. Before, she had been scared to be alone in the silence and darkness. Exhaustion compounded her frustration at home and school and she found it difficult to concentrate. But now, she’s doing better at school too – and loves going to Brownies.

Klara, out and about with Jasper

As mum, Michele explains, “Jasper has made a huge difference to Klara – but also to us as a family. When Klara was in a lot of pain because of yet another ear infection, Jasper knew to leave her alone, but once she was better and she relaxed, he seemed to know and put his head on her lap. He also wakes her up in the morning because she can’t hear an alarm clock. He jumps onto her bed and when she puts up her hands and says “What is it?” he jumps down and sits by the alarm clock.”

If the smoke alarm goes off, he’ll jump up to get her attention and respond to her question by lying flat on the floor. That’s the sign for danger - he can’t take her to the source of the sound in case the fire is there. If her parents want to call her, they’ll say “Jasper, call Klara” and he’ll either go and get her or carry a written message in a purse in his mouth and take it up to her bedroom for her to read.

For a girl who wouldn’t even go upstairs on her own before, preferring to always have her parents in sight, Jasper has enabled Klara to gain bags of confidence. Now she’s given a talk in class about her Hearing Dog.

Jasper gets a well deserved cuddle from Klara!

Thank you for supporting BBC Children in Need so we can fund projects at organisations like Hearing Dogs for Deaf People and help children like Klara.

Click here for information about Hearing Dogs for Deaf People.

Merry Christmas to our fundraising Heroes!

2013-12-20T14:15:43+00:00

Ho Ho Ho festive fundraisers! It’s the midst of the Christmas season and hopefully your evenings are full of hearty cheer, baubles and mince pies, all set against a backdrop of angelic carol-singing choirs, Wham!'s Last Christmas and, of course, the legendary Noddy Holder telling you exactly what time of year it is. We’re certainly getting festive here. We’ve got mistletoe and Santa hats and tinsel and all sorts of other goodies. It’s hard not to get totally wrapped up in the festive spirit of giving at Pudsey HQ, as we’re constantly reminded of just how generous and the wonderful people of the UK can be.

One team who showed a generosity which really blew us away was the very good and kind folk at Legal and General, who took to their nationwide fundraising with gusto and raised over £76,000 across the whole business! Legs were waxed, cakes were baked and staff also got stuck into a ‘onesie’ challenge. It’s hard work to wear a onesie all day, but somebody’s got to do it! Not only this, but for every insurance policy sold direct in November, Legal and General gave a donation to Pudsey. Happily, in the end all that hard work really paid off and raised an outstanding amount. As you can see from the photo below of the glorious Cardiff team, the team look like they all had an ace time.

L&G staff get stuck into their onesie challenge!

The below photo was sent to us from Rebecca, a staff member at Brighton and Hove High School, and shows two happy pupils having some Pudsey-themed fun! Junior Head Sian told us a little bit about the exciting in-school fundraising that took place in November: “This year for BBC Children in Need the girls in year 4 at Brighton and Hove High School Juniors, an independent girls school, organised a special fundraising event. They rallied parents, staff and pupils to take part in a number of activities. Girls came dressed in spots and enjoyed a delicious cake sale. In total the girls, with a little bit of support from family and friends, raised over £700.” A huge well done from Pudsey and the team to everyone who helped out.

Pupils from Brighton and Hove High School had a great fundraising event!

The whole team here at Pudsey HQ was delighted to hear once again from a group of fundraisers who organised one of our favourite fundraising events of the 2013 Appeal. Staff at Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospital held a 24-hour CPR-a-thon! The team took it in turns, via 15-minute shifts, to administer CPR to a mannequin for a whole day. Senior Resuscitation Officer Vicky, who helped to organise the event, described the day to us:

“We had families come in and their children participating alongside grandparents and they were all there to raise money for this great cause. We had people come back in during the night after working a full day just to take part alongside massive support from the Fire Service for the majority of the event. We never had a moment during the whole 24 hours when we were on our own and it is down to the commitment from our staff that this was possible. Pudsey was a brilliant addition to this and the children and adults alike were so excited to see him and have their picture taken, he even closed the event by doing the last lot of CPR!”

When Pudsey's not busy fundraising, it seems like he's picked up a few hidden skills - we never knew he could do CPR! It sounds like the event was a huge success, and the best bit of all – it raised over £3,000 for disadvantaged children and young people at over 2700 projects all across the UK. Amazing work guys, you should be very proud!

Ready, steady, resuscitate! Staff get ready for the CPR-a-thon!

And finally, as we’re coming up to Christmas, we want to say a big Merry Christmas to all of our fundraisers and thank you all for making this a record-breaking year!

Did you do something amazing this year? Or perhaps you’ve got something big planned for next year that you’d like to tell us about? Either way, we’d like to hear about it! 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. It’s easy. So go, help us celebrate a great 2013!

Looking back at our fundraising heroes!

2013-11-28T15:39:41+00:00

Now that our Appeal Night is almost two weeks past, we’re indulging in a lovely bit of nostalgia and reminiscing on the highlights of our 2013 Appeal. It goes without saying, of course, that our favourite part of all our Appeals is seeing all the wonderful things our amazing fundraisers get up to, and that’s certainly been truer than ever this year.

First up, a very excited Pudsey Bear has asked if we can say a big hello to four very special little fundraisers who gallantly took to the streets of Shenfield to sell their expertly baked wares in the name of BBC Children in Need.
With a little help from their parents, Ruby, Max, Toby and Jocelyn cheerfully took their Pudsey-inspired cakes to the hungry (and very generous) residents of their neighbourhood, and they proved to be a big hit! Much like those metaphorical hot cakes we've all heard so much about, these Pudsey cakes flew off the shelves too, raising £108.50!

Ruby, Max, Toby and Jocelyn take to the streets with some very tempting cakes!

The whole team at Bassetts Honda Swansea got involved in some top-quality fundraising this year. How could we not give a shout-out to this team when they have such epic fancy dress (the cowboy is our particular favourite). They even held their own ‘Where’s Wally?’ competition, featuring their very own Wally – the eagle-eyed among you will have already spotted him in the picture below! There were also games and snacks on the day, bringing a whopping £3794.38 for disadvantaged children and yound people all over the UK. Leanne from the team got in touch to say what a great time the whole team had fundraising, and it sounds like she’s already thinking about how next year could be even bigger! A very heroic team indeed!

The staff from Bassetts Honda Swansea show off their excellent taste in fancy dress.

Staff and pupils at Meadow View Primary School in Rotherham had a brilliant Pudsey-themed day on 15 November, raising money a variety of ways including a bake sale and a groovy disco, as well as weaving a little bit of Pudsey magic into the curriculum as well, bringing the yellow Bear into the classroom to not only educate but also to entertain. Also, very impressively, the whole school put their pennies together to fill in this giant penny Pudsey on the floor! Overall the school raised £450.00 - an amazing effort, so a huge well done to all involved at Meadow View!

Staff at Meadow View Primary School must have found a lot of pennies behind their sofas!

That's a crazy amount of stuff going on for a good cause, we’re sure you’ll agree - and there's more! The awesome students at York Student Television (YSTV), York University’s very own campus TV channel, put together a great BBC Children in Need-themed broadcast featuring all the characteristics of the charity’s annual Appeal show and giving them a distinct York University twist. Two students, Grace and Matt, presented the show which featured live music, onesie mayhem, broken eggs and funny sketches! You can check out the show here, and of course, a huge thank you to all at YSTV for going to such a huge effort to raise money!

Did you do something heroic this year? If so, make sure you tell us about it so we can say thanks and, quite possibly, feature you in an upcoming article on this very blog. If you’d like a mention, just 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. It’s easy. So go, help us celebrate your decision to #BeAHero!

Have a #songanddance for BBC Children in Need!

2013-10-29T13:35:57+00:00

The weather may have taken a turn for the worse lately, the days may be getting shorter, and there might be the early hints of a wintery chill in the air, but we've got just the thing to warm you up – a BBC Children in Need #songanddance, courtesy of a couple of fundraising heroes who are really harnessing the power of music for some show-stopping fundraising this year!

Lisa and crew take to Worthing town for a fundraising flash mob!

Casual shoppers in Worthing were recently treated to an impromptu ‘flash mob’ when Lisa Saw and students from her ‘Strictly Dancing with Lisa’ classes took to the streets to light up a grey, wet Saturday with a little fundraising magic. Lisa told us exactly what happened:

“I have been teaching adult dance and fitness classes in West Sussex for six years, and for a long time I have wanted to organise a flash mob with those who attend my classes, and it seemed a great way to also raise money for charity. BBC Children In Need seemed the obvious choice because they do such great work and the ideas behind their fundraising are largely focused on having fun. I’d previously organised a smaller event and raised £400 for them, so this was our target.

For most of the ladies taking part I knew performing in public would be out of their comfort zone. So, a year ago I decided on a song (‘On The Street Where You Live’) and a routine, and began teaching it at all my classes, with some extra practice sessions too. When the ‘big’ day finally arrived it was raining! However, we all decided to go ahead with it as the rain wasn’t heavy enough to deter us. So, we headed down to Worthing Town Centre. I began dancing and gradually the others joined in, about forty-five of us in total. All was going well until the unexpected happened, towards the end of the dance the music suddenly cut out! But, like true professionals everyone carried on and instinctively we just started to sing and dance our way to the end. Everyone had such brilliant fun and said how their nerves just disappeared once the music started. We are all thrilled too, that we’ve raised £3,103 so far! I’m so proud of all those who took part.”

You can check out a video of the event here. Looks like all that time training for the flash mob paid off in a big way - every penny of that amazing total will go towards helping disadvantaged children and young people all over the UK, so a big thank you from everyone here at Pudsey HQ.

Will's preparing for his sixteen-hour 'Big Busk'!

The ears of commuters passing through Leeds City Train Station on Thursday 14 November will be treated to some indulgent audio pleasure from our next fundraiser, saxophonist Will Forrester. We asked Will to let us know what he was up to:

“I have always tried to do something for Children In Need and for the last 10 years I have been busking to raise money. This year is going to be longest yet - I’ll busking for sixteen hours on Thursday 14th November, at Leeds City Train Station. It's a solo busk and I will be there from 5am - 9pm! You can’t miss me this year as Warrens Display from Leeds has kindly printed and designed a full backdrop for me!”

Throughout his marathon ‘Big Busk’, Will's playing a mixture of songs to get commuters into the groove, everything from Disney favourites, jazz and soul classics, to today’s big hits. Last year Will raised a huge £3,200 from donations in the station and through his JustGiving page, and he’s hoping to raise even more this time around. Altogether, Will’s efforts over the past ten years have raised over £26,000 - a true BBC Children in Need fundraising hero!

So if you’re commuting through Leeds and you hear the smooth sounds of Will’s saxophone skills, please give generously, or if you’re inspired by Will’s idea, head over to his JustGiving page to donate now to help Will in his mission to change the lives of young people all over the UK, including right where he is in Leeds. Good luck Will!

If you've chosen to be a fundraising hero, we think you deserve some recognition. 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!

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.

Literacy Day - Waltham Forest Dyslexia Association

2013-09-07T18:38:50+00:00

Sunday 8 September is International Literacy Day, aiming to highlight the importance of literacy to individuals. Thanks to your support, we're able to help young people like Alisha, who has dyslexia.

Many of us struggle at school in different ways, but for children with learning difficulties, the “best years of their lives” can be particularly challenging. Imagine, for instance, if you couldn’t read by the age of 11?

Alisha, from East London, was about to start secondary school before she knew her alphabet.   She had difficulty spelling, with sequencing or patterns of letters and had never read a book. Teachers sometimes asked whether or not she was daydreaming because she had her book open at the same page for so long. As a result, her self-esteem suffered and she started to dread going to school.

Her parents realised that Alisha needed expert help. An educational psychologist diagnosed Alisha with severe dyslexia and referred the family to Waltham Forest Dyslexia Association.

With the help of Lois, a specialist tutor there, Alisha started going for extra lessons in the summer holidays and then on Monday evenings too. Lois went to meetings at Alisha’s secondary school to help her obtain a statement of Special Educational Needs. She had a scribe and a reader for lessons and exams too. And her tutor continues to stay involved in Alisha’s education plan. As a result, she passed her English Language and English Literature GCSEs – an amazing achievement.

Alisha said: “I didn’t know I had dyslexia when I was little. I wouldn’t see sentences I would just see letters. My dyslexia tutor is a really nice person and really helpful. I’ve met other children like me at the classes too.

If I was to give one bit of advice to someone else with dyslexia it would probably be to encourage them to join their local dyslexia group to help them and not to let literacy problems get in their way because they’ll probably find something else to do that they enjoy, like art or sport.

Using computers can also help because of spell check and people understand what you’re trying to say with texting, because it’s just like it sounds, so that’s ok.”

Alisha’s skills have improved to the extent that she’s now read half of Olympic cyclist Victoria Pendleton’s biography. Her spelling scores have gone up from 68 to 75 while her reading scores have improved even more over the past four years – from 69 to 86 – where the average, on the WRAT system, is 100.

Alisha’s tutor Lois, who went into the profession after her own children were diagnosed with dyslexia, said: “The special thing about Alisha is that she is so determined. Alisha will now have a go at doing things. She’ll tackle reading a book and has become a confident and creative writer. Most of the work I did with her was around literacy. We studied the Dyslexia Institute’s Literacy Programme which takes an individual through every bit of the English language – its points of grammar and different spelling patterns – which really worked for her.”

Alisha’s Dad, who’s a former youth worker, said: “Dyslexia is an overwhelming and isolating impediment.   If children can’t achieve anything, it can have long term implications and they can feel excluded from school. I was worried about the risk of her going down the wrong path. But with intervention, things started to improve. If things like this aren’t put right, society suffers. So often, dyslexia is swept under the carpet and people don’t admit they can’t read or write. We have to enable people to face up to it.
“Since Alisha started extra tuition, the improvement has been unbelievable.   We have regular meetings about Alisha’s educational plan that her dyslexia tutor comes to which has been a huge help. She’s done well enough in her GCSEs to get onto the Animal Care course she wanted to do so she’s very happy.”

Thanks to your generosity, children like Alisha can have a much less daunting experience of school life and are more likely to achieve their full potential. A three year grant from BBC Children in Need funded the sessional costs of eight different dyslexia tutors and an administrator. Between them they supported 45 children and young people like Alisha who are struggling to read and write.

To find out more about the difference your money makes, visit our 'Who You Help' section.

Fundraising Heroes – London and the South East

2013-09-06T14:39:12+00:00

As we leap head-first into fundraising season, it’s becoming hard to hide our excitement as all signs show that this could be our biggest and best year yet. We haven’t had to search far for Fundraising Heroes this week as we’ve been stepping just outside Pudsey HQ to explore London and the South East of England, with very exciting results.

Our first heroes are a group of familiar faces. The cast of The Faulty Towers Dining Experience are currently serving up some highly immersive and painfully entertaining comedy at The Torquay Street Theatre in Charing Cross Hotel. Audiences are invited to have a meal whilst being graciously attended by Basil, Sybil, and Manuel in true Fawlty Towers fashion. The cast are hoping to raise £10,000 for BBC Children in Need- if you want a taste, check out this clip of what happened when Pudsey paid them a visit!

Some people have a passion for sport, some for film, but six-year old Louie, from Milton Keynes, has a very unique passion: lawn mowing! Over the summer, Louie has been working hard to keep the lawns of Milton Keynes in top shape (supervised by Dad, of course), all to raise money for BBC Children in Need. Louie’s mum Sarah told us how Louie has mowed 12 lawns so far, but is still as enthusiastic as ever, “he is passionate about mowing so he was totally in his element.” Louie, we think this is the beginning of a beautiful fundraising career.

Has a terrible day at work ever made you want to throw a pie at your boss? How about throw at your accountant? It seems like the staff at PH Accountancy Ltd have experienced this feeling once or twice. On Friday 15 November they’re taking time out of their busy schedules to throw cream pies at their boss, Andy. It’s all for BBC Children in Need, and is also open to the public, so if you’ve always wanted to pie your accountant, this might be for you! We think brave Andy, courageously willing to be pied for BBC Children in Need, definitely deserves a fundraising hero mention.

We were also pleased to hear that the very photogenic staff at Swale Borough Council are hard at work putting together a staff calendar. All paper, printing and finishing has been donated by local firms and the finished calendars will be sold in aid of BBC Children in Need. The busy staff have also organised a two-month treasure hunt. Good work!

And finally, our last Fundraising Hero is Gary Collins, who has organised a gruelling 1000-mile bike ride with his cycling club, the Red Lion Mountain Bike Team. Gary and his team of around 20 riders will be passing through the beautiful villages of Pirton, Hitchin, Charlton and Offley on their largely off-road track, which they’re hoping to complete in under 24 hours. It’s going to be a challenging ride, and Gary and team are hoping to raise an amazing £10,000.

A huge thank you to our heroes – 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 Hero!

Who You Help: National Childhood Obesity Week

2013-07-02T12:54:17+00:00

It's National Childhood Obesity Week and BBC Children in Need is proud to support more than 250 projects throughout the UK that educate and encourage children and young people to lead healthy, active lifestyles. One of those projects is APPLE.

On the edge of Acton Park in west London there’s a small, inconspicuous building that’s overflowing with activity after school and during the school holidays.

When the children and young people arrive, they receive a warm welcome, immediately wash their hands, and get to work preparing fruit or vegetables for a fruit salad or soup. It’s all part of the aptly-named APPLE project’s central aim of teaching them how to grow and prepare healthy food. As a result, they also develop healthy eating habits, good table manners, learn gardening and cooking skills, as well as generosity and hospitality.

Once they’ve had something healthy to eat, it’s time to get active. That might involve building a go-cart, creating a creature for an exhibition or carnival float, filming a fashion show or a whole host of other arts and crafts. So the project helps local children and young people gain confidence and new skills too.

Project manager Vicki Barker says they also encourage consideration for others by fostering good table manners and sharing. They develop an understanding of others by trying food from other cultures and become self-sufficient because they can grow and prepare their own meals. They have the opportunity to choose positive inclusive activities and the chance to gain vocational qualifications.

APPLE – Acton Play Project and Leisure Services - offers 82 open access sessions to children and young people from low income families by providing a range of cooking, gardening and arts-based activities for them. When the weather is good, that means going outside and planting or harvesting vegetables which are then prepared and eaten inside.

A three year grant of £29,595 funds the costs of food project and gardening staff as well as youth helpers, gardening materials and other project costs.

One young woman, who used to attend APPLE sessions regularly, is now at university in the north of England but popped in a few months ago to talk to her old friends and project staff about how things were going there – inspiring some of the other young people to consider higher education as a possibility for them too.

Another teenager, who had been homeless following a bereavement, successfully worked as a volunteer for a project in south America after developing confidence and new skills at the APPLE project.

But both of those young women were nervous and shy when they first turned up at the project, just like a 12-year-old girl who has started attending recently, hungry and with little self-esteem. Vicki says she is starting to show signs of feeling safe at the project and she and other staff there are sure that before long she will have discovered her own interests, talents and will start making positive choices for herself.

Happy Father's Day!

2013-06-14T15:07:39+00:00

Father’s Day is a great excuse to appreciate all the amazing dads and grandads all over the UK.

The Crown and Manor Club in London is a BBC Children in Need funded project and knows all about family. They've had three generations of the same one all come and take part over the years!

Daniel, Bobby and Dean

Daniel is 14 and Bobby is 10, and they have both been involved with the football teams for over two years. Their dad Dean was especially enthusiastic about Bobby going along as he has taken up the position of the under-10s football manager! Dean said “Walking through the doors, nothing seemed to have changed. Everyone was welcoming, and I couldn’t wait for the boys to get involved.”

In 1985 and aged 12, Dean discovered the local club when his cousins started training there. It was a vibrant place at the heart of the estate where Dean grew up, always busy with young men looking for something to do. Dean went along for years, and even held his wedding reception there when he married his sweetheart in 1995.

A Crown and Manor Club football team

And the legacy goes back even further- in 1959, Dean's father George was a key member of the Crown and Manor Club football team!

Lots of the volunteers at this historic club all attended as children, and it’s testament to the project’s fantastic work that they return to help out as adults. Having re-opened at brand new premises earlier this year, it’s a thriving community hub with activities every night. Attendance is impressive and thanks to BBC Children in Need, facilities keep getting better and better meaning hundreds of boys have a safe and secure place to play.

Challenge COMPLETED!

2013-05-03T15:16:52+00:00

Five marathons. Five days. DONE!

And what a final day! The route took me from BBC Media Centre in Wood Lane to Kent where I live. At Victoria, where I used to work, all my old colleagues came out to cheer me on, and towards the end, my dad and brother cycled alongside me. It was exactly what I needed to keep me going!

When my home was in sight I somehow summoned up the strength to sprint the final stretch!

My legs actually feel a lot better than they did yesterday. Maybe they know that they haven't got any more marathons to do! Now it's time for a cold bath and lots of stretching. I'm so pleased it's all over and totally amazed with myself that I managed to do it!