Dressing up – and down – for Children in Need across Shropshire
Dressing up, dressing down and lots and lots of cakes were the order of the day as Shropshire and Mid Wales showed their spots for Children in Need.
Schools, shops and workplaces went dotty for the day to raise thousands of pounds for the annual BBC appeal, which supports projects which help children and young people across the UK.
Pudsey Bear was today getting a glamorous make-over at a Shrewsbury nail bar's fundraising nail art workshop.
Christine Charles-Harland, who runs Calypso Nails in Shrewsbury's indoor market, was running the workshop for children and teenagers, aged seven and upwards, interested in learning the techniques of the art.
Your Children in Need pictures
The event this morning was part of a week-long Children In Need fundraising campaign by traders in the market hall.
"Youngsters got to play with different colours and varnishes, how to come up with painted designs and how to apply nail glitter, diamantes and rhinestones," said Christine.
"I love seeing the children enjoying themselves, getting stuck in and experimenting with the different varnishes."
Tiddlywinks nursery, on the Battlefield Enterprise Park in Shrewsbury, managed to raise £640.50 as children and staff dressed up and collected donations from other businesses on the enterprise park.
Seven workers from B&Q on Featherbed Lane in Shrewsbury got on their bikes for charity and raised more than £2,000.
The staff, aged between 19 and 60, set off at 10am on the old A5 from the Telford store.
Less than two hours later, they rode in to the Shrewsbury store where they were greeted with tea and cake.
Katie Taylor, from the store, said: "We are really proud of them all. They came up with the idea of cycling from Telford to Shrewsbury along the old A5.
"Although two of them cycle regularly, one hadn't been on a bike for 16 years, so I think he may be a bit sore."
Katie said regular cake sales have been held at the store and customers have been making donations.
At Newport Girls' High School, pupils were allowed to accessorise their traditional uniforms with "bling" jewellery.
There was also a University Challenge style competition at lunchtime with art teachers going head-to-head with their science counterparts. More than £500 was raised in total.
Deputy head Gary Thomson said: "There was plenty of bling on show and everyone was in good spirits throughout the day."
Staff and students at Harper Adams University near Newport showed off their cooking credentials by staging a bake-off.
Inspired by the hit TV series, the university held it second Great Harper Bake Off yesterday, raising £414 for the annual appeal.
The university's catering department challenged staff and students to get baking, and their cupcakes, cookies, sponges, shortbread, brownies and gingerbread were sold off on campus. A
Children in Need cake, baked and decorated by Tammy Jones and Emma Fern, from the university's catering department, was raffled off.
Students at the Oswestry campus of Walford and North Shropshire College went all out for Pudsey with a host of fundraising activities.
And staff also got into the spirit with many dressing in fancy dress.
Sara Shelston, head of A-levels, and Emma Mounsey, who is studying childcare, rattled collecting buckets at the entrance to the college. Other energetic students completed a smoothie bike challenge, making drinks as they pedalled.
Benji Evans, the college's sports maker, arranged for representatives of transport group Sustrans to get the bike.
Children at Craven Arms Childcare & Pre-School dressed up in fancy dress to raise money, decorated biscuits and made Pudsey pictures.
Shoppers in Telford Shopping Centre were greeted by staff at Boots wearing 70s and 80s costumes – and members of staff sat in a paddling pool full of jelly.
At the Specsavers branch nearby, staff raised about £100 selling cakes and cleaning spectacles in return for donations.
Redhill Primary School in Priorslee built a cupcake tower with all the goodies on sale, Moorfields Primary in Newport wore pyjamas and Tiggywinkles Montessori Nursery in Newport raised cash from cake sales.
And volunteers did their bit as the massive BBC show went on air, manning call centres at Lyreco in Telford and BT in Oswestry.
