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THE community of West Norfolk has united in an incredible show of support for the Lynn News Special Care Baby Appeal.
The total from events held on and around Friday – the official appeal fundraising day – looks set to easily top an astronomical 4,500.
Hundreds of schools and workers took part in dress-down events and other fundraisers to boost the 150,000 appeal for Lynn’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for ill and premature babies.
The Lynn News thanks everyone who took part.
Here is just some of what was going on:
l Norfolk’s smallest school decided to do its bit for West Norfolk’s smallest babies by backing the appeal. Children at Grimston, Church Hill School, spent last week bringing in coins and balancing them in scales with a kilo (2lb 2oz) weight – similar to the weight of some premature babies. Between the 11 pupils who make up the entire school, they had raised 36 by Friday lunchtime and were still going.
l Park High School, Gaywood, made a monstrous effort to support the appeal on Thursday. Sixth form students dressed in Hallowe’en costume to generate donations for the appeal and the school has also started selling the official Special Care Baby Appeal calendar.
l Pupils at North Wootton Community School also held their fundraiser on Thursday and used the opportunity to celebrate their all new kitchen.
The kitchen was created from a store cupboard with 7,000 from the school’s Parents Teachers Association and 1,500 secured by the school council from Dow Chemical and kitted out with investment from school funds and money raised through a non-uniform day.
For the Special Care Baby Appeal, Year Six pupils baked cakes and made coffee in the kitchen and sold them to parents, raising 120.
l Downham High School raised a huge 1,300 with students paying 1 each to ditch school uniform for the day. A couple of brave students and staff arrived in fancy dress.
l It was at the request of several parents that Whitefriars Primary School, Lynn, joined in the day. The school raised just under 300 through a non-uniform event.
l Children at Snettisham Primary School had a good insight into why the appeal is so important as they added their support. Pupil Erin Tasker, who has already held her own sponsored event, inspired the school to take part in the day and raise 62 through a non-uniform event.
l Dressing as book characters and a second hand book sale was the focus of the fun at Gooderstone Primary School.
The school had already organised a fundraiser for the day to pay for a toys and games box for the playground, but the school council agreed to split the money with the appeal on the request of parent governor Sharon Wilson.
Miss Wilson’s four-year-old twin daughters Amy and Alice, who are in reception at the school, were premature and cared for by the unit. Miss Wilson thanked all children, parents and staff and Mrs Natalie Rudd, who helped raise 70 for the appeal.
l Pupils and staff at Alderman Jackson Special School, Gaywood, dressed in colours of the rainbow, held a raffle and coffee and cake morning for the appeal and raised 150.
l Children at Fairstead First Steps Nursery made donations to dress in Hallowe’en gear to raise cash for the appeal. The nursery is still finalising its total.
l A brave couple who suffered the tragic death of their four-day-old baby in July this year showed their support for the appeal by boosting efforts at Reffley Community School, Gaywood.
The school raised 200 for the appeal through a non-uniform event.
On top of that, parents Lisa and Shaun Couzins, of South Wootton, held a cake sale and raffle and raised 800 for a piece of equipment for the unit in memory of their son Ryan.
The couple have a daughter Sophie (six) at the school.
l The appeal gave St Germans Primary School pupils the chance to have a naughty tuck shop, with all the sweets and cakes usually banned in favour of fruit as break-time treats.
They also held a non-uniform day, as did their sister school Magdalen Village School, where a ghosts and ghouls Hallowe’en party completed the fun to bank more than 100 for the appeal.
l King Edward VII School, Lynn, had raised 1,100 through its efforts at the last count. The school held a non-uniform day and sixth form students had a black-and-white theme for the day – some even painting their faces.
Generous students at the school raised 1,200 earlier in the year for The Children’s Trust.
l Children at Runcton Holme Primary ditched their uniforms for the day to raise 83 for the appeal. Runcton Holme Pre-school also added its support, with the total raised there yet to be confirmed.
l St George’s School, Dersingham, wasted no time in getting behind the appeal and was the first to sign up to hold a non-uniform event for it on the day. The total raised is yet to confirmed.
l The day was particularly poignant for staff and students at Lynn’s Highgate Infant School, where 50 was raised through a non-uniform event.
The day was the last before maternity leave began for pregnant deputy headteacher Mrs Ellie Roberts.
l A teddy hospital helped staff at Phoenix Montessori Nursery, Terrington St Clement, explain to children what the day was all about.
They also dressed in red to signify one of the first colours babies can see and have already raised 120 with more still coming in.
l Staff and students at St Martha’s Primary School, Gaywood, used the day to learn about the work of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and raised around 150 through a non-uniform day.
l Lynn’s Eastgate Primary School used their final day school fundraiser to boost the appeal as well as school funds.
Pupils had a non-uniform morning and fancy dress afternoon and split the money raised equally between the two, with a total of 122.61 to the appeal.
l Lynn News staff also did their bit, raising more than 70. Staff paid a fee to wear pink and blue and bring in their teddies.
Cash was also raised through a name-the-teddy contest, with a toy donated by Birthdays card store, in Lynn High Street. Store manager Donna Clarke (43), of Fairstead, had a premature daughter – Cally – at the QEH 17 years ago.
l Sainsbury’s supermarket and Frankie and Benny’s restaurant, Lynn, were also among those throwing their support behind the day. Staff and customers at Sainsbury’s, where staff wore school uniform for the day, raised 329.85.
l A string of other schools held events before the official day and many others are planning events when they return from holidays.
They include Howard Junior School, Gaywood; Anthony Curton School, Walpole St Peter; West Winch Primary School and Terrington St John Primary School.
You can pay money into the appeal online at the dedicated page: www.justgiv ing.com/specialcarebaby appeal
Otherwise send cheques, payable to Special Care Baby Appeal 01874, to: The finance department, Special Care Baby Appeal, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn NHS Trust, Gayton Road, King’s Lynn, Norfolk, PE30 4ET.
Cash donations can also be dropped in there, but please do not bring them to the Lynn News office.
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Weather for King's Lynn
Sunday 27 May 2012
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