PUDSEY SAYS THANKS FOR YOUR HELP!

Principals at the Helen O'Grady Drama Academy are still collecting sponsor money and donations following the very successful NATIONAL TALKING DAY! this month.

Some branches have collected thousands of pounds, helping the Academy as a whole edge nearer to their target of £50,000. In South Wales we are grateful to

The Big Yellow Self Storage Company

Dalton Printers

for their kind donations.

It's still not too late to become involved. Details can be downloaded from our website http://www.helenogrady.co.uk/

Thank you to everyone. You have helped make a huge difference to the lives of so many children.

BBC CHILDREN IN NEED UPDATE

On Friday 20th November, a team from the Academy had a great time at the BBC Children In Need Show in London. Fundraising continues and will do until the end of the year. Schools and companies are invited to participate in NATIONAL TALKING DAY! activities. We are grateful for the support of:

AON Insurance Managers, Guernsey

Powell's Primary School, Cirencester

For full details of how to become involved, please visit http://www.helenogrady.co.uk/

PUDSEY ROCKS!

A team from the Academy joined the audience at BBC Television Centre on Friday 20th November to present a cheque to Sir Terry Wogan in favour of BBC Children In Need.

National Director, Nigel Le Page, spoke to Sir Terry live on air, and enjoyed a fantastic, star studded, evening of entertainment which was interspersed with accounts of the children helped by the charity.

The Academy is proud to be a corporate partner of BBC Children In Need. It is, indeed, a fitting charity, enabling children to support other children less fortunate than themselves. Fundraising continues to meet the target of £50,000. It's not too late to donate, please see http://www.helenogrady.co.uk/ for full details.

TALKING FOR PUDSEY!

Lower Primary children in Chewton Mendip, Somerset, celebrated their National Talking Day! this week by inviting parents to attend class to listen to their prepared two minute speeches. The teacher offered the children the opportunity to speak in front of everyone and 5 year old Amy took on the challenge. She was speaking about why she liked being a child in her family. Amy only joined the Academy this term and mum was delighted she had the confidence to commit her talk to film!

The class was a great success, and parents were very generous with their sponsor money, raising more than £250 in total, which will go towards the national target of £50,000.

BAG PACKS FOR PUDSEY

Another successful supermarket bag pack took place this weekend by students from the York Academy. Some 50 students and parents, staff, friends and family were all there and Pudsey himself lent a hand.

York Principal, Lindsay Goakes, said "There was a wonderful team spirit and great fun was had by all. I was so proud of our students. They were amazing! Two wee lads, without parents there, packed bags for three hours non-stop with no complaints. All the parents were hugely supportive and felt it was an excellent opportunity for children to give something back.

We had many members of the public and members of staff comment on the excellent behaviour of our children as well as their excellent verbal skills and their confidence."

In all the day raised well over £1,000 towards the Academy's target.

BUSINESS SUPPORTING NATIONAL TALKING DAY!

We are grateful to businesses around the country supporting our fundraising efforts. In South Wales we have had sponsorship from:

Great Western Media

Richard Thomas Solicitors

Mayzmusik

Our thanks also go to

Meantime IT

BAG PACK FOR BBC CHILDREN IN NEED

As part of fundraising for BBC Children In Need, South Wales students, their parents, teachers and numerous friends and family, spent most of their Sunday packing bags in ASDA and collecting funds for BBC Children In Need to add to the sponsorship raised through NATIONAL TALKING DAY! and various other activities.

Principal, Becky Goodfield, said she was very proud of her students: "42 young people came from lots of different classes, in different areas of South Wales. At the start of the day they barely knew any other students but by the end they had all made lots of new friends. They develop excellent communication skills in class and they certainly put them to good use on Sunday."

Deputy Principal, Helen Ward, who is on maternity leave right now, brought new baby Liam along to help. Unfortunately
the Academy didn't have t-shirts in his size!

Fundraising continues throughout this week and we thank everyone for their amazing efforts!

BBC CHILDREN IN NEED

On Friday 13th November, NATIONAL TALKING DAY!, Principals around the UK invited children to speak on a given subject, related to the charity, to raise money for BBC Children In Need. Everyone was invited to dress up for the fun lesson and above, Croydon students have a great time with their teacher (dressed as Buzz Lightyear!) before speaking for their allotted time. The talking continues right through this week until Friday which is the 'official' BBC Children IN Need Day.


And it's not just talking! There have been supermarket bag packs, sponsored walks, bad hair days and, in the Tayforth branch, parents were invited to join their childrens' lessons and paid good money for the privilege.

NATIONAL TALKING DAY!

Although yesterday, 13th November, was the official NATIONAL TALKING DAY! its not too late to put your money where your mouth is!

For the next six days, in Helen O'Grady Drama classes all around the country children will be talking for Pudsey. They made a great start yesterday and already thousands of pounds have been raised.

Thanks and congratulations go to all of those who have taken part so far.

By next Friday, 20th November, which is BBC Children In Need Day, we are confident we will have reached our target of £50,000 raised.

We have also invited contributions from the business community. Our thanks so far go to:
Franchise Connect
Drawbridge Creative Partners

For full information and to download a sponsor form go to http://www.helenogrady.co.uk/

On behalf of all the children helped by BBC Children In Need, we thank you ...... lots!

FRIDAY 13TH NOVEMBER .................................. IS NATIONAL TALKING DAY!

PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS!

This is the message going out around the country on Friday 13th November
Children in Helen O'Grady Drama classes all around the country are raising tens of thousands of pounds in sponsorship as they talk to their parents and teachers about BBC Children In Need.

Schools are also joining in and this week the challenge has been laid down to the business community, entertainers, entrepreneurs to gain sponsorship for telephone calls, lectures and even chats around the photocopier.

Last year the Academy presented the charity with a cheque for £20,000. This year the target is £50,000 and counting.

For full details and to download a sponsor form, please visit our website: http://www.helenogrady.co.uk/

And please, put your money where your mouth is ..................................

Thank you

NEW PRINCIPALS IN ACTION

New Principals threw themselves into the action during training last week in Bristol. Executive Principal, Alison Mazanec and Training Manager, Margaret Darley taught the group a specially extended lesson so they could experience as much of the curriculum as possible.

The group found their big voices for the speech work and used their exaggerated drama actions!

There was no language barrier as the English principals worked with their Spanish counterparts to develop a 'snippet' at the end of the week.

In Spain, the Helen O'Grady lessons will be taught in both Spanish and in English to help the students with their communication skills in both languages.

For more information on the Academy in Spain visit http://www.helenogrady.es/

NEW PRINCIPALS TRAINED AND READY TO GO!

Another successful training week was carried out in Bristol last week. Among the Principals training, were Catherine Prout and Abbe Martin, recent winners of the Remote Employment Awards, in which they were awarded their very own Academy. Sarah Walton, runner up in the same awards, trained with them, together with a group from Madrid, who will open the first Academy in that area of Spain in January.