Children in Need proceeds put to good use across Oxfordshire

Cash raised in the national drive benefits charities across the UK, including those here in Oxfordshire.

Oxford’s Yellow Submarine and Witney-based Guideposts are two that have benefitted from the generosity of Children in Need fundraisers.

Both support children with learning disabilities and their families by providing trips and activities for them during school holidays.

The charities have used the money to fund more activity days providing vital respite care for parents and opportunities for children to thrive, and are urging people to donate again this year.

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Yellow Submarine received £65,263, which it used to put on more activity days for children during school holidays.

Anna Cheetham organises these, including visits to Harry Potter World, Legoland, the cinema and camping.

She said: “To do these activities without the contribution from Children in Need and the goodwill of people wouldn’t be possible. It pays for the delivery of the activities which provide some well-deserved time off for both children and parents.”

The trips are for youngsters aged between 11 and 18 with mild to moderate learning disabilities and take place during the summer holidays.

“It’s more than a fun day out it allows them to have time away from their families and gives them some spare time with friends and a sense of independence. It also challenges them to do things that you might not expect them to do, like canoeing or starting a fire.

“Parents have become more confident leaving their child with us. They can sometimes bubblewrap their children and their priority is to keep them safe. Coming here they see what their children can do.”

Guideposts was given £87,000 for a three-year project to get children with learning disabilities out to experience the great outdoors through trips to woodland areas, camping and other nature activities.

Communications officer Louise Longson said: “They learn valuable skills, team-building skills and social skills. A lot of them have never played outdoors before because of the nature of their care – a lot of them need one-on-one care.”

The charity’s head office is in Oxfordshire but its trips take place in woodland in Northamptonshire.

The team wants to extend the ‘Wild Times’ project into Oxfordshire next year.

“We are so grateful to everyone who has donated to Children in Need, they’ve enabled us to run such a fantastic project for those who wouldn’t normally get this sort of chance.”

“It’s absolutely vital people keep up the good work this year – especially now that money for social care is getting quite tight.”

The BBC’s annual appeal night airs on BBC 1 tomorrow night.

BBC Children in Need south west regional manager Clare Cannock, pictured below with Pudsey Bear, said: “We are always staggered by the support we receive from our fundraisers and we know they will be there again to help this year.

"We use every penny to help disadvantaged children and young people all over the UK, Guideposts, Yellow Submarine, Blackbird Leys Adventure Playground, Helen and Douglas House, Oxfordshire Family Mediation and Oxsrad, amongst others in Oxfordshire and our supporters should be truly proud.

"This year’s show is set to be the best ever. Please tune in tomorrow for Tom and Jerry, S Club 7, Strictly, One Direction, EastEnders and many more.”

Helen and Douglas House received £113,054. The money has been used to fund volunteers and organise trips to support siblings of children staying at the Hospice.

Tim Wraith, trusts manager for the charity, said: “We have used the money to support the siblings of children who are seriously ill staying at Helen and Douglas House or died at the house.

“It pays for support staff to work with them and it has made such a huge difference, the Children in Need money is invaluable.”

Oxfordshire Family Mediation, which helps children affected by a divorce or separation was awarded £83,249.

Smaller grants were also handed out to a number of after school clubs supporting children in the county.

Sports and leisure charity OXSRAD were awarded £8,500 and Blackbird Leys Adventure Playground received £5,000.

OXSRAD Centre manager Paul Saxton said: “It’s a low income area and thanks to Children in Need we have been able to charge £5 a day for our clubs, without it we would have had to charge £20, it massively helps people on low income.

"The clubs target eight to 16-year-olds of all abilities and disabilities. We give them structured sports sessions during the holidays and after school. They are able to access sports and facilities that they wouldn’t have access to in school, and there’s an amount of discipline and progression.”

The club can run until Easter with the grants from last year’s event.

Mr Saxton added: “We are absolutely in awe of the people who raise funds and donate to Children in Need – we haven’t been able to run our clubs for six years – and we hope people do the same this year.”

The Blackbird Leys Adventure Playground project have put their £5,000 donation towards sessional staff for the play schemes, new play equipment, volunteer costs and healthy snacks for the popular after-school club.

Project secretary Sue Price said: “I don’t think people realise that as an adventure playground we have no funding at all, without the help of Children in Need, the city council, the parish council and everyone who has donated we simply wouldn’t be able to function.”

The after-school and holiday club – which has also received Gannett Grant funding from the Oxford’s Mail’s parent company – has enough space to offer up to 80 children aged eight to 13 activities supervised by volunteers and paid staff. It includes a zip wire, swings and climbing frames outside, as well as indoor facilities for cooking, art work and games.

Mrs Price said: “We’ve been able to give basic training to more volunteers which has made such a difference as it’s all about the relationships and the youngsters trusting the adults. It has enabled us to provide a place where the children can run around and exercise for hours after school and it’s just wonderful to see.”

She said Children in Need had allowed the project to apply for a larger grant next year, an offer the team will be taking up with enthusiasm.

Super heroes for a super cause

Pupils at Didcot Girls School in their onesies after donating a pound to last year’s Children In Need

Pupils at Didcot Girls School raised more than £400 for Children in Need last year by paying £1 to turn up to school in onesies.

The girls dressed up as lions, tigers and even a banana for a fancy dress day.

They also ran bake sales and sold wristbands, bringing their grand total up to £700.

The school will once again be getting involved this year and this time the theme is “super heroes.”

Headteacher Rachael Warwick said: “We’re really looking forward to our dress up day. It’s a great way to raise money for BBC Children in Need and their work with disadvantaged children and young people in the UK.

“It’s all for a great cause, so please join us and dig deep if you can.”

• The Children in Need appeal night starts on BBC 1 tomorrow at 7.30pm. You can donate online at bbc.co.uk or in person at any bank, building society or post offices. Numbers to call and texts to donate will be provided on the live broadcast.

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