Smiles of fun for Comic Relief

Written by Julia Rodgerson and published in Matlock Mercury on Tue 24th Mar 2009

Stoney Middleton School Back to Front for Red Nose Day

Lively fundraisers across the Dales celebrated Comic Relief by doing something funny for money.

Residents dug deep for this year's Red Nose events and for one day economic doom and gloom was forgotten

Schools, businesses and individuals hosted an array of colourful activities for the charity, which aims to eradicate poverty both at home and abroad.

Staff and shoppers at Matlock Sainsbury's raised around £3,000 with events including coming to work in fancy dress, taking part in sponsored weight loss, managers in the stocks and holding a bad hair day.

Barry Haynes, Tom Simpson and Christopher Watson from Golding House Resource Centre, in Matlock, took turns at sitting with their feet in a bucket of spaghetti and tomato sauce in the store's foyer, and raised £208.

Other fundraising highlights across the area included pupils in South Darley raising around £170 with a funny hat competition and teachers and students at Matlock Bath Holy Trinity School raising over £62 by having a bad hair day.

Mad scientists at Wessington Primary School raised £90 by dressing in white coats and making magical concoctions.

Headteacher Vicki Cousins said: "This was a great opportunity for children to have fun and at the same time to think of other children less fortunate than themselves."

Children at Stoney Middleton Primary School had a 'back to front day' by wearing their clothes backwards and telling their favourite jokes.

Stoney Middleton School not smiling because if you so your Red Nose drops off

Brassington Primary pupils wore their pyjamas and hosted a Fairtrade cafe which raised over £250.

Staff and pupils at Youlgrave All Saints' Primary School raised £103 by selling red cakes, playing games, selling red nose quiz sheets and having a fashion show.

Headteacher, Fiona Jackson, said: "Everyone was very keen to raise money for such a worthwhile cause."

Bakewell Methodist Junior School hosted a day of fancy dress, face painting and a cake stall. The day raised over £412.

And pupils at Crich Carr Primary School in Whatstandwell made wacky and wonderful Easter hats and raised over £100 for Comic Relief.