From schoolchildren dressing up as their favourite superheroes to office workers bringing in their childhood teddies, thousands of people in Suffolk and Essex have gone the extra mile to raise vital funds for Children in Need today.

Pudsey Bear, the charity’s mascot, has shown up at a variety of events across the region – see our photo gallery here.

Pupils at Thomas Wolsey School in Ipswich took part in a day of superhero-themed events to raise funds for Children in Need.

This included designing superhero pants, which were judged during a ‘catwalk’ at the end of the day and making up a superhero song to perform.

The day also put a Children In Need-themed twist on Suffolk County Council’s Raising the Bar campaign.

Rupe Hosie, headteacher at the school said: “As a school rated outstanding by Ofsted, we are always working to improve, and we are taking it one step further as we “Raise the Bear”.

“Although we have many needs of our own, our pupils love to get behind a good cause and do their bit to help others, so we always raise funds for Children in Need.

“The superhero theme is very appropriate because we feel that all our pupils and all our wonderful staff are true superheroes themselves.”

Employees at BT Adastral Park in Martlesham got into the Children in Need spirit, with a week of activities including a bake off competition, basketball competitions, prize draws and hoopla competitions.

The Friday afternoon fundraising activities also featured the now traditional tug-of-war, with the on site fire team taking on this year’s graduates and apprentices.

Terry Henshaw, location manager at BT Adastral Park, said: “We always support Children in Need, and we always ask our new intake of graduates to lead the activities, and they always rise to the challenge. Everybody gets very competitive and it is great to do something a bit different for such a good cause.”

The team have so far raised £3,500 over the course of the week.

Meanwhile, Easton Pre-School celebrated ‘Be a Hero’ for Children in Need 2014 with children, family and staff all having fun and raising funds to give children the best start in life.

Elsewhere, The Hadleigh Community Choir have performed surprise ‘pop-up’ songs in the town. It and other activities in the town have been organised by local drama group the Armchair Players.

At Hardwick Primary School, children and staff paid £1 to take part in a superheroes day. They arrived at school either dressed as their favourite superhero – including Batman, Hulk and Spider-man – or in a Pudsey Bear outfit on the Nowton Estate in Bury St Edmunds.

Staff at Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds were surrounded by furry friends when they joined in the BBC Children in Need fun on Friday and took their teddies to work for the day.

The theatre’s press and communications officer Nicki Dixon, who brought in seven of her own bears, including ChiChi the panda who has been with her over 40 years, said: “Children in Need raises money for a fantastic cause and we were happy to be part of it.”

Students at One sixth form in Ipswich managed to raise £778.38 through their Wild West day with the help of a few special guests.

They hosted a number of cowboy-themed activities including a bucking bronco bull and knock down the tin cans, and even had a petting zoo with mercats and armadillos.

Student Charlotte Humphreys, 17, from Ipswich, said: “I think it’s a good charity because they it supports children and young people in this country as well as other parts of the world.”

Pupils from Stoke High School Ormiston Academy in Ipswich have raised over £900 for Children in Need.

Each year group dressed to a different theme. Year seven wore onesies, year eight dressed as geeks and nerds, year nine donned brightly coloured neon, year 10 dressed to the theme of heaven and hell and year 11 were tasked to dress as extravagant as possible.

Andrew Pettitt, assistant principal at Stoke High, said: “It’s been a brilliant day, all the kids got heavily involved and we gave more responsibly on the student charity committee which did a great job in supporting Mrs Allard in the organisation.”

Meanwhile, the Children in Need spirit has been very much alive in Stowmarket today.

Staff from Realise Futures’ learning centre in the town have put on their Pudsey onesies and raised money for the good cause.

Caroline Hunt, 35, area delivery administrator, said: “We had a bake sale which we’ve had in Stowmarket all week with home-cooked food from all the staff. Five of us have dressed up as Pudsey and we also had a Father Christmas too.

“Myself and a colleague walked down the street to try and raise awareness of what we have been doing.

“It’s been a good day and hopefully it’s raised awareness and some money.”

The centre provides education courses for adults who are out of work and supports people with disabilities.

In north-east Essex, youngsters at Little Owl’s Pre-School in Boxted made special hats as part of the fun, while pupils at Boxted St Peter’s Primary School chose a festive theme and paid a donation to wear Christmas jumpers for the day.

Pupils at Highfields Primary School in Lawford wore spots or pyjamas for the day and teachers at Colchester Sixth Form College endured an Ice Bucket Challenge.

Students at St Mary’s School for Girls in Colchester and at Harwich and Dovercourt High School also dressed as superheroes for the day in return for a donation towards Children in Need.

Children in Need provides grants to projects in the UK which focus on children and young people who are disadvantaged. It supports small and large organisations which empower children and extend their life choices.