Children In Need

IT is Children in Need time again and Wyre Forest residents are lending their support to the appeal by taking part in conventional and unusual fund-raising activities.

People of all ages are taking part in events for the BBC charity day tomorrow to help improve the lives of youngsters.

Last year, the charity distributed £34.2 million to good causes, thanks to the efforts of generous fund-raisers.

Six Kidderminster Harriers fans are helping by taking an unusual stroll from the team's Aggborough Stadium to Stourport Swifts' Walshes Meadow ground.

Kelly Ashcroft, Craig Murphy, Craig Jones, Emma Burbridge, Laura Fearnall and Tracey Ashcroft are pairing off and making the five-mile walk with their legs tied together.

If that is not enough, the friends will make the three-legged walk and rattle their buckets in fancy dress.

Liz Aston and her eight-year-old pony, Babe, will be taking donations outside Kidderminster's Wilson's Pet Store in New Road.

If you are taking part in an event to help the appeal, then contact Paul Whittaker on 01562 633345.

Stripper's close shave for appeal

IT is going to be a case of hair today, gone tomorrow for a Kidderminster man used to removing things in front of an audience.

Professional stripper, Wayne Pereira, will have his locks cropped for Children in Need live on the appeal television show in the early hours of Saturday morning at the BBC's Mailbox studio in Birmingham.

It will be the first time in more than 30 years the 40-year-old, who is better known by his stage name, Reno, will have his hair cut short.

Mr Pereira admitted to being nervous but said the style change would not affect his career, which has taken him to venues across the country and abroad.

He explained: "It is something I have been thinking of doing for some time and I just thought I could raise some money for a good cause by doing it.

"Ninety per cent of the women who have seen me perform said that I would look better with shorter hair. It will be quite strange at first because I have had long hair for so long."

Mr Pereira, who started performing 11 years ago after a member of the Chippendales told him he was suited for the job, has previously appeared on TV shows, Trisha and Kilroy.

The Jordan Close resident said he hoped to raise as much as possible but drew the line at going for the equivalent of a Full Monty haircut.

He joked: "I am not having my head shaved. I go all the way in my shows but I will not be doing the same with my hair."

Dance raises cash for Pudsey

ABBERLEY residents have already donated funds to the appeal after putting on their gladrags and taking to the dancefloor.

More than 200 people packed into the village hall last Friday for a disco that raised money to the tune of £456.

Pudsey Bear even managed to put an appearance thanks to the creative skills of organiser, Claire Furness, who was helped by her two daughters, Anna-May and Tillie-Jayne.

Mrs Furness was one of the three people who put on the specially made 6ft suit for the charity event.

She added: "We decided to take shifts in the costume and by the time the last person took their turn it was more like a sauna inside it."

Generous villagers donated an entrance fee of £2.50 and also brought in food and raffle prizes to help add to the total.

Mrs Furness said: "It was a great night and everyone really enjoyed it. The response was fantastic and more than 40 raffle prizes were donated.

"It is the first time anything like this has been organised and we will look at doing something again next year because every little thing helps the cause."

You are never too old to help

Young at heart residents in a Stourport home for the elderly are getting active to help the good cause.

About 30 people from Ravenhurst Residential Home, in Lickhill Road North, are limbering up to take part in an exercise relay tomorrow.

The group, which takes part in weekly sessions, has members from the age of 78 all the way up to 104.

Fitness instructors, Martin Donnellan and Anju Bedi, will race against the clock and take classes in nine homes in Worcestershire.

Nancy Knott, activities co-ordinator at Ravenhurst, said it would be the first time residents had raised funds for the appeal.

She added: "We put the idea to the residents and they were very keen to help the appeal. They are all looking forward to it. They take part in various fitness activities throughout the week."

Sharon Blackburn, Heart of England's housing and care director, said:"We thought that extending the exercise class would be a fantastic fun way to raise money for a very worthy cause."

Gloves on for a knockout event

KARATE Kids in Wyre Forest are joining together next month to help boost the coffers of the Children in Need appeal.

Members of the Young Gloves Karate Club will battle it out in a special tournament on December 4 to raise funds for the cause.

Youngsters aged between five and 14 will pay £5 to enter the competition and all money gathered will go to the charity appeal.

A raffle, with prizes of kit and sparring equipment, will also be held at the Sion Middle School event that kicks off at noon. Head instructor, Justin Thomas, said the club had helped the appeal for six years and hoped the £600 figure raised last year would be bettered.

He added: "Ninety-nine per cent of our members are children so we decided to help Children in Need."