Andy Hicks, Life Church – Youth Pastor, has been mentioned today in an article by the Lincolnshire Echo that reports on local charities that have been funded by Children in Need:
Lincolshire Echo Article – Click Here
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AS CHILDREN in Need kicks off this year’s fundraising in London’s West End, organisations in Lincolnshire describe how vital the charity is to them.
The charity’s POP Goes the Musical 2011 which aims to raise cash through star studded performances in the capital’s theatre district, was launched yesterday.
It will see Peter Andre in Ghost the musical’s Unchained Melody, Stacey Solomon singing For Good in Wicked and the Sugababes taking on Dancing Queen in Mamma Mia.
Community organisations in the county may seem less glamorous but people in Lincolnshire know all too well how important Pudsey Bear and his friends are.
Andy Hicks, project co-ordinator for Life Church, which provides workshops for children in Birchwood, Lincoln, said the organisation would not exist if it was not for funding from the charity.
Last year it received £70,000 to use over a three-year period.
He said: “It’s the second round of funding we’ve had from Children in Need so we feel immensely privileged.
“The idea is that our after school club goes from eight to 11 years old and there are games, arts and crafts, things like that.
“We work to lift children’s self esteem and respect for themselves and for one another.
“We were starting to see an increase in petty crime like broken windows in the area so the aim was to get youngsters in to an environment away from that at an early age. There has been a dramatic reduction in behavioural problems.
“We are a charity and so without the money from Children in Need we would not have been able to do what we do.”
Gainsborough Adventure Playground is a charity which provides free access to the facility for children aged five to 14.
Manager Lisa Pinkney said it would have been a struggle to find the £30,000 Children in Need pledged over three years.
“This time last year we were awarded the money and it’s gone towards helping fund the playground and without the funding we would have really struggled,” she said.
“We are open all year round, we have lots of activities and it’s free.
“The money has paid for someone to run the sessions which are really valuable in the community as there’s not much in this area.
“We’re open after school and on Saturdays and it’s full of kids climbing trees. It’s lovely.”
This year the Lincolnshire Echo is doing its bit for Children in Need.
Sports editor John Pakey is joining BBC Lincolnshire’s breakfast show presenter Rod Whiting and his producer Louise Wheeler on an epic 1,000km bike ride through Europe.
The trio are calling on people to show their support for their journey which starts in Lincoln’s twin town Neustadt in Germany on September 30. It will take them eight days to complete, arriving back in Lincoln on Friday, October 7.
You can sponsor the team at www.virginmoneygiving.com/ cycleforpudsey or send cheques made payable to ‘BBC Children in Need Appeal’ to ‘Cycle for Pudsey’ BBC Lincolnshire, Newport, Lincolnshire, LN1 3XY.
