South West raises £548,000 for Children in Need

10:29am Monday 23rd November 2009

By Laura Kitching

HUNDREDS of generous funsters celebrated raising £548,302 for Children in Need at the South West’s live telethon in Weymouth.

Schools, businesses, groups and individuals gathered at the Sea Life Park to mark the occasion with oversized cheques, live music, bike stunts and tasty treats.

Fancy dress themes included Pudsey bear ears and polka-dot scarves, the Wizard of Oz and Michael Jackson’s Thriller.

Overall, the British public raised £20,309,747 on the night for the 30th year of the appeal.

Last year’s appeal raised £20,991,216 million on the BBC live broadcast night and eventually topped £38million.

Across Dorset, people took part in a frenzy of activities to pile up the pounds.

Presenters from the BBC Spotlight news team – including Victoria Graham and Justin Leigh – welcomed many of them to the Sea Life Park for the broadcast.

Laura Hamilton and Saxon Axe, both 16, of Wey Valley School and Sports College raised £250 by running from the Portland Football stadium on the top of the island to Dorchester Town Football Club.

They wore pink cowboy hats and completed the route – via Wessex Stadium – in three hours.

Saxon, of Littlemoor, Weymouth, said: “It was Laura’s idea, we’re still recovering now.”

A group from St John’s Primary School in Coombe Avenue, Weymouth, wore polka-dot themed outfits and presented a cheque for £200.

Schoolboy Ross Newton, aged 10, raised more than £200 with a sponsored head shave.

His mum Rebecca Sims of Winterborne Whitechurch said Ross went from having long hair with a big fringe, to grade two cut so it was ‘quite a big deal.’ She said: “It makes a nice change to be able to see his eyes.

“He raised money through family, friends and his classmates at St Mary’s School, Puddletown.”

The Revive Street Dancers presented a cheque for £801.29 and performed a routine on live television.

Group member Sharlea Honebon, 14, said: “There’s about 15 of us from schools across Weymouth and Portland – Royal Manor, Wey Valley, Budmouth and Weymouth College.

A rowathon, organised by the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, and involving Dorset Police officers raised £540 for the cause.

Ridgeway Radio’s Gary Penfold attended the event dressed as BBC DJ Mike Read and praised the radio’s children’s show volunteers Alina Flint, 16, and Joe Evans, 18, who collected more than £200 by taking a winter dip in the sea at Weymouth.

Kidz Are Us Pre-School in Southill, Weymouth, raised £111 with a stall at Southill Fireworks, biscuit sales and a pyjama day.

Co-ordinator Lindsay Drage said they really enjoyed the live broadcast in Weymouth.

Staff at Asda dressed up as cowboys and indians, while their Pudsey Bear was escorted into the town centre by firefighters to raise more cash.

Checkout operator Dave Parson raised £300 after having a chest and back wax by beauticians from Bliss in Marsh Road.

Events co-ordinator Carole Topley said: “A big thank-you to Bliss, Weymouth Fire Station and everyone who gave money. So far we have raised around £1,000.”