News
Children in Need activities are here once more
15/11/2007 11:52:00
IT'S that time of year again - when normally sane and sensible adults do crazy things to raise money for charity.
Tomorrow (Friday November 16) is BBC Children in Need day and the event sees old and young alike being sponsored to dress up or generally act out of character for the appeal.
One such group who have been planning their activities for Children in Need for some time are the pupils and staff at Stromness Academy. They are again making a big effort to fundraise this year.
Volunteers from the Sixth Year and other classes, along with canteen staff, cleaners, and teaching staff have been helping to organise loads of events for Children in Need.
Throughout the week, they have been doing various things at the school in the build up to Friday.
Yesterday (Wednesday) there was a staff versus pupils volleyball match. They also held a Slave Auction.
At lunchtime today (Thursday) there is a special local version of the TV quiz 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire?'.
On Friday itself, the school timetable has been rearraged so that all pupils can attend the main event of the day - a local version of the TV talent show 'X Factor'.
There will be a surprise guest judge taking part, but it is hoped that the guest will not be as nasty to the school contestants as Simon Cowell.
After that, the school band 'Trunk Road Defect' will give a performance.
Throughout the day, pupils will be busking and the canteen staff will be making cakes to sell for the charity.
Staff will also be dressing up or 'dressing down' for Children in Need.
Last year, Stromness Academy raised an amazing £1800 for the appeal.
In Kirkwall, staff in OIC's housing division have come up with various fundraising ideas for Children in Need.
The 16 members of staff have been able to persuade their departmental bosses - director of finance and housing, Albert Tait, and assistant director of housing, John Richards, to get both their legs waxed - from ankle to knee.
And vice-chairman of the social services and housing committee, Councillor Russ Madge, has agreed to get his full head of hair shaved off for Children in Need. Anyone can add their sponsorship for the headshave and/or leg waxing at the One Stop Shop. Staff from Solveig in Kirkwall are going to be 'doing the dirty deeds' between 1 and 2pm tomorrow lunchtime, so that council staff can go along and watch the hair removal operations.
Housing staff will also be bringing in homebakes for sale throughout the day tomorrow at the department. Council staff are also being invited to 'Guess the Baby' from a series of old photos which will be pinned up on the housing division walls and other corridors. For £1 a time, the person with the most correct guesses will win a meal for two at the Orkney Hotel.
The department is also running a Pudsey scratchcard draw with a prize of toiletries for the winning ticket.
The final fundraiser also involves assistant director, John Richards. He says that he will shave off his moustache, if staff raise more than £500 through their other events for Children in Need. Barbara Leask, who has organised the housing division's fundraising effort, warns that Mr Richard's moustache is in 'serious danger' with more than £300 in sponsorship already pledged for the legwax and Councillor Madge's headshave.
Barbara added: "Staff in the social work department have been been far more active in fundraising for charity than ourselves. But the housing staff are so keen that we might do this more regularly, as a team, for a homeless charity another time."
• The local focus for Children in Need, as always, is BBC Radio Orkney's studio, in Castle Street, Kirkwall.
The station will be putting on its annual marathon broadcast from 7pm till 1am, following on from its weekly request programme - presented tomorrow night by Colin Kirkness from Finstown.
One of the main attractions of the six-hour broadcast, apart from musicians and singers performing live, is the on-air auction with a host of items and rarities on offer which have been donated to the appeal by local folk.
A selection of the goods available to bid for in Radio Orkney's auction can be seen in the window of Ridgway Travel on Albert Street.
The full list of items can be viewed online via the website: www.orkney.org/chin. It is possible to bid online, but people are reminded that there will be a time lag between when they submit their bid and the auctions updates, so it isalways advisable to keep listening throughout the programme to hear the latest state of play for a particular item.
The dedicated auction line is 01856 873939. The phone numbers for requests or pledges are 01856 889203/889204.
Some of the auction items (in no particular order) include:
From Aurora Jewellery, a one-off necklace and pendant from the Heather Collection. What makes it unique is the diamonds and pearls set into the pendant. A stunning piece of jewellery!
Original hand-crafted glassware from Joan Holdsworth - this is a glass plate, about 12 inches by 12 inches, featuring fish
Leslie Gorn has been in past with one of his own old-fashioned Orkney Creepies which he makes out of knotty pine redwood
Patsy Bain's Pudsey Hares - four yellow hares with spotted Pudsey neckerchief's running round a red circle. Mounted & in a wooden frame.
Norma & George Marwick give something for the auction every year, and this year is no exception. It's an Edwardian antique armchair which they've re-upholstered
Radio Orkney has been given a sterling silver identity name-bracelet by Orkney Bracelets - you can have any name & birthstones you want on it. The highest bidder can personalise as to what they want on their bracelet
Ferguson Pedal Tractor from K2 Music Shop - it's a brand new classic grey Fergie pedal bike - imported from the States, and built of finest steel.
Orkney Glass have donated six crystal glasses in Bohemia Bolero range - they're 270 millilitres size glasses in a presentation box
Willie Beedie's donated a bairns playhouse - roughly five foot by four - painted and varnished, big enough to make the neighbours bairns jealous, but small enough not to interest the county planners.
Colin Kirkness, who's going to present the request programme on Friday night, has made us another Orkney chair - made from wood from the old front door at the Quoyburray
NorthLink have donated tickets for two passengers, car, premium cabin & meal vouchers from Kirkwall to Aberdeen, valid for a year
Sinclair Office Supplies is now in the picture framing business and has a signed photograph of Robbie Williams, mounted and framed in black.
Roving Eye Tour of Scapa Flow on the MV Guide, a trip for two passengers donated by Keith and Kathy Bichan. Can be used anytime before next September
Tods Bakery have come in with a wonderful, sumptuous hamper of their products - everything you can imagine in one basket
Orkney Active have given us an X-moto 16" dual suspension boy's bike - suitable for a young lad.
Freda Bayne is a hand weaver who likes to use rare yarns and fibres in her work. She's given us a Christmas Fairy, woven by hand from the wool of North Ronaldsay sheep. The wool is coloured from dyewood off the Svecia
Orkney Aggregates have donated a ton of decorative chips to auction. They'll deliver anywhere on the Mainland or they can be picked up.
Leslie Mainland and Tommy Russell have teamed up again to fence your park - 10 strainers, gates, wire stabs the lot - they'll erect a fence for you round the field of your choice
The Mayfield Singers are currently working on a CD of Burns songs and they've offered a copy of the CD as well as two tickets to their Burns Supper on January 25 next year in the St Magnus Centre
Local band 'The Chair' - formerly Lazy Boy Chair - is offering you the chance to have the band play a one hour gig in your own home. They'll do it in your living room, shed, bathroom, barn... you name it - as long as its part of your house (not a pub or a hall). They'll also throw in a copy of their debut album which is due out in early December
Parish Cup Final - ringside seats for the culmination of the local football season. Join the Radio Orkney outside broadcast team for the chaos of setting up, see behind the scenes, and enjoy the game from the commentary gantry. Join us in the caravan for the half time discussion as well. And in the pub for a debrief session after the final whistle and de-rig
Orkney Wine - with a Children in Need label - it's a one off so there's not another bottle like it - also have a bottle of Heatherberry Whisky - again not available in the shops.
The Odin Stone has handed in the first ever bottle of Ba' Whisky - blended, labelled and presented in a Ba' carton - it's a unique bottle for collectors and drinkers alike.