Calderdale goes Comic Relief crazy - pictures by reader Stephen Beattie
CALDERDALE went comedy crazy for Comic Relief this year.
Weird and wacky fund raising events took place across the region today to raise money for Red Nose Day 2007 - dubbed the biggest and best yet.
From pyjama parties, crazy hair and bathing in beans, warm-hearted volunteers wore their red noses with pride.
Imaginative pupils at Rishworth School hosted I'm a Teacher, Get Me Out of Here - based on the ITV reality show I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here.
Teachers were challenged to bob for stars, eat horrible food concoctions, do unlimited press ups and had cold beans poured over their heads.
They also sold cakes, dyed their hair red and raffled school lunch passes.
Charity coordinator, Sharon Stamp, said: "The pupils here are so imaginative. They always get stuck into any charity event. It has been great fun."
Red Nose Day at Calder HIgh School, Mytholmroyd, saw pupils wearing fancy dress, hosting a Bad Hair Day competition and a talent show.
They also combined Comic Relief with their Lets Make News Day in which year nine pupils Isaac Rose and Zoe Cox, broadcast live on BBC Radio Leeds from the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television, Bradford.
Friends Sophie Nettleton, 17, and Chloe Southern-Conyers, 16, the day wearing pyjamas while on a work placement at Elland Church of England Junior School.
Chloe said: "We feel a little bit silly, but it's fun. The children at school laughed when they saw us."
At Field Lane Children's Centre, Rastrick, toddlers wore red and ate Comic Relief themed buns. A raffle and coffee morning was also held.
At neighbouring Field Lane Primary School staff and pupils also attended school in their nightwear.
Head teacher, Jennifer Davies, said: "It's important to make the children realise there is a bigger world out there beyond the school and there are needy causes all over the world."
Glittery, spiky and vibrant red hair was worn by pupils at Warley Road Primary School, Halifax.
Each student donated 50 pence to Comic Relief.
Caitlin Skilbeck, five, said: "Everyone looks really silly at school today."
For the third year running, more than 80 employees at Halifax General Insurance, Copley, Halifax, voluntarily manned the phones to take pledges. They also tucked into cakes, wore fancy dress and enjoyed a game of Deal or No Deal.
Angie Guy, call centre manager, said: "It's an amazing night to be involved in and listening to the generosity of the public is incredibly heartwarming."
Bus drivers in Halifax and Todmorden raised smiles among their passengers when they wore Comic Relief noses.
First has distributed 10,000 noses to bus drivers across the UK to remind people about the event as soon as they board the bus.
Andrew Scholey, managing director of First Calderdale, said: "Our bus drivers pledged to wear them with pride to raise a smile among passengers on Red Nose Day"
Pyjama-clad toddlers and staff at Baby Ballet, Halifax, donated 1 each to Comic Relief. They joined the Baby Ballet Bear, who wore a red nose. Claire O'Connor said: "We have been telling the children that they are lucky enough to dance, but many other children are not.
"We have set a target of 300 but think we can smash this and raise much more."
Students at Calderdale College spent Red Nose Day performing songs from their Comic Relief album Red Noize Day.
Pupils at Abbey Park Junior, Infant and Nursey School, Lee Mount Primary School and All Saints Junior and Infant School, Halifax, also all dressed in red.
Fund raisers at Shelf Junior and Infant School, joined in the fun by holding a cinema day, in which they paid to see a film. They also wore red, bought toast and buns and auctioned their old toys.
Beans means fun - and teachers at The Ridings were full of it for Comic Relief.
PE teacher Robert Kenworthy sat in a bath of beans while sports coordinator Martyn Ackroyd wore wellies filled with ketchup and jelly. And a number of teachers also got soaked with sponges. Other madcap activities at the Ovenden school including whack the rat, guess the number of sweets, a penalty shoot-out and a special X Factor competition.
Since its launch in 1985 Comic Relief has raised over 425 million. Over the years Comic Relied cash has helped people in the UK and internationally challenge poverty, prejudice and injustice.
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Thursday 09 February 2012
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