Children in Need brings out the fun

CELEBRITIES walked the corridors of a Suffolk college, while Henry VIII got handy with a razor.

It was all part of a day of fun at Otley College, where students took part in a range of fundraising activities for the BBC Children in Need appeal.

From Calamity Jane to Cruella de Ville, Harry Potter to Henry VIII, staff and students were united in their support of Pudsey as they dressed for the day as their favourite celebrity or historical character.

All those not in fancy dress were required to submit a minimum donation of £1 – and loose change was collected by Marilyn Manson and Ozzy Osbourne in the canteen at lunch time.

In addition to the new fashions – not the sort of thing you would normally expect horticultural, technology and engineering students to wear – Dom Read, a 21 year old student data administrator, agreed to lose an adornment.

Mr Read was sponsored to have his beard shaved off – two years of growth, which he admitted was due to sheer laziness.

The beard was tackled by Stephen Kings as Henry VIII, a character more used to helping people lose their heads than their facial hair.

"It does feel rather strange to be hair free but the reaction I've received is very positive. I just hope the family feel the same way as they had no knowledge of this fundraising idea," said Mr Read.

The day raised £500 raised for Children in Need.

Jenny Milsom, director of curriculum, who dressed as Screaming Lord Sutch, said: "This has been a fantastic turn-out, students and staff have gone to great efforts and meetings certainly took on a whole new quality today."

Meanwhile two Suffolk County Council employees are doing their bit for Children in Need today.

Alan Gillespie and Shane Hines have volunteered to shave their facial hair off to help raise money an estimated £200 for the charity.