MORE NATIONAL TALKING DAY! PICTURES

All over the country Principals have been raising money for Children In Need. Many branches of the Academy invited parents into class to join in their childrens' lesson. Lots of them were encouraged to wear something spotty. In Leicestershire, Rebekah Davidson (above) single handedly (well with just a little help from her dad!) raised £260. Well done to her!

The talking - and certainly the fundraising - continues. The academy will be collecting spare change for Pudsey right through this term. You can get involved by visiting our website - http://www.helenogrady.co.uk/ - or send a donation to the address on this blog.

Keeeeep talking!

TALKING FOR BARNARDOS IN N.W.IRELAND

Now the talking is almost over for Children In Need, Academy students in North West Ireland are holding their own Talking Week in aid of Barnardos Ireland. Principal, Angela Gallagher, sent this picture of some of her Manorhamilton class preparing for their talking which will take place all this week.

Good luck and best wishes to them all. Watch out for more pictures!

THE CHEQUE FOR SIR TERRY!

Training Manager, Margaret Darley, seen above centre with South Wales Principal and Training Supervisor, Becky Goodfield (R) and her Manager, Helen Ward, were lucky enough to attend a special reception at the BBC on Friday before joining the audience for the second half of the big Children In Need extravaganza.

The South Wales branch of the Academy raised more than £2,000 towards the final total and Becky was very proud to present the cheque to Sir Terry Wogan live on air. It was a star studded evening, with the second half opened by Sir Tom Jones and featuring, among others, Heaven 17, Pixie Lott and Maroon 5, as well as excerpts from several West End shows.

Fundraising will continue until the end of the year so it is not too late to be involved. Visit our website http://www.helenogrady.co.uk/ for full details or send your donation to the address on this blog. Raising money for Children In Need has become an annual event for all branches of the Academy and it was wonderful to have a prescence at the show.

The only slight disappointment of the evening was the fact Take That were performing on the earlier show and the girls had to be content with seeing their performance on the big screen in the reception - and knowing they were actually in the same building!

This is as close as Margaret got to Take That!

THE BIG DAY!

Today is the day Children In Need takes over the airwaves. You will see and hear Pudsey on almost every programme through the BBC today and, of course, the big show is on tonight.

A team from Head Office will be there to present the big cheque for £50,000. Principals around the country and their students have worked extremely hard towards the target and the Academy is proud to be representing them tonight. See us on the show in the 'late' spot, from 10.30 to 2am.

A big, big thank you to everyone who has been involved including our printers, Franchise-Connect and a special vote of thanks to The Waldegrave Arms in Chewton Mendip, Somerset, who have taken National Talking Day! to their heart. Tonight their barmaids will be dressed in our special edition tee shirts requesting donations from every customer who speaks in the pub!

It's not too late to be involved. Visit our website to download a sponsor form or send a donation to the address on this blog. We will happily link to your website if you provide details.

CHARLES DICKENS SUPPORTS BBC CHILDREN IN NEED!

Last year Bromley Principal, Helen Walls, was among the Helen O'Grady team at the BBC Children In Need show to present the big cheque. With her students she raised more than £800 towards the final total. This year she is on track to better that amount but will not be able to attend the show. For very good reason!

As part of The Chelsfield Players Helen is playing Mrs. Cratchitt in a production of Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol'. And not only Helen. Her Chislehurst teacher is playing the Ghost of Christmas Present and 11 children from her drama classes have roles too. So, as well as National Talking Day! and because Helen can not be at the show this year the Chelsfield Players will be doing the following to raise even more money for Children In Need.

• Asking the audience to donate to guess the name of Robinson Crusoe's parrot. The winner will receive said parrot!
• Charging the audience for mince pies and Christmas cake during the interval.
• Sending Tiny Tim and Scrooge out with a bucket for donations at the end of the show.

Helen says: "The information in our programme really echoes the ethos of BBC Children In Need and the work they do today. It's almost like we planned it!" The information says:

Ingnorance and Want

"One major theme in A Christmas Carol was rooted in Dickens'
observations of the plight of the children of London's poor. Thousands of
children were living in unimaginable poverty, filth and disease. In 1839 it was
estimated that nearly half of all funerals in London were for children under the
age of ten. Those who survived grew up without education or resource and virtually no chance to escape the cycle of poverty. Dickens felt this cycle could only be broken through education and became interested in the Ragged Schools in London."

This makes us all think about what a great job Children In Need does and makes us proud to be involved in their fundraising efforts.

We wish wish Helen and her colleagues the best of luck with the play and look forward to hearing about the rewards of all their efforts.

MORE NATIONAL TALKING DAY! NEWS

The talking continues in Helen O'Grady classes this week as students head for the target of £50,000 to present to BBC Children In Need at their big show on Friday. From Glasgow to Portsmouth, Belfast to Cambridge, students have put their money where their mouth is and have wonderful stories to tell.

In Northampton (pictured in group below) Principal, Sarah Moloney, invited the local BBC radio station to join join in. Click here to listen to what the children, the parents and the Principal had to say.

It's not too late to be involved. Visit our website http://www.helenogrady.co.uk/ and download a sponsor form or send your donation to the address on this blog.

Our children are really making a difference to children less fortunate than themselves. You can too.

HELEN O'GRADY PRINCIPAL APPEARS IN 'ACCUSED' ON BBC1 TONIGHT!

The BBC tonight launches a new Jimmy McGovern drama series : 'The Accused'.

Preston Principal, Sarah Ibbotson (stage name Sarah Jane Corrigan) and teacher, Andrea Willams, both have small roles in the series. Sarah (pictured right) plays a bank clerk in tonight's episode alongside former Dr. Who, Christopher Eccleston.

CHILDREN IN SOUTH WALES VISIT THE WELSH ASSEMBLY ON NATIONAL TALKING DAY!

NATIONAL TALKING GETS UNDERWAY!

In drama classes all over the country, children are talking and raising money for BBC Children In Need.

NATIONAL TALKING DAY! 2010

Today, WEDNESDAY 10th NOVEMBER, is NATIONAL TALKING DAY! Children in drama classes all around the country will be talking with their families and with their teachers to raise money for BBC Children In Need.

Famous for its strong belief in verbal communication, the Helen O'Grady Drama Academy launched National Talking Day! in 2009 and, through sponsorship, its students raised almost £40,000. This year the target is £50,000.

The talking is not restricted to children. Business people, politicians and celebrities have been encouraged to join in too. And it's not too late to participate. The talking goes on right up to the 19th November when a team from Helen O'Grady Head Office will present a cheque on the television show. Visit http://www.helenogrady.co.uk/ for full information.

STEPHEN FRY OFFERS SUPPORT ...... FROM AFAR!

When we launched National Talking Day! in support of BBC Children In Need, we felt Stephen Fry would be an excellent ambassador, given his command of the English language and his love of conversation. His PA sent this reply to our invitation for him to join us on 10th November.

"If Stephen had five lives he would be delighted to consider becoming an Ambassador for National Talking Day. The fact is, however, he is deep in commitments to the charities, organisations and individuals he currently supports, as well as snowed under with promises, half promises and everything in-between to others.

Stephen is very sorry to turn you down but he cannot pretend he can find the time to offer you more than his support from afar."

We really appreciate the fact he bothered to reply and we know Stephen will remain a role model to anyone with a wish to hold meaningful and amusing conversations.

SPECIAL EDITION TEE SHIRT LAUNCHED

Branches around the country will be taking delivery this week of the Helen O'Grady/BBC Children In Need tee shirts. Children in drama classes nationwide will be wearing the limited edition tee shirts with pride as they head towards National Talking Day! on Wednesday 10th November.

For full details of how you can take part, visit our website - http://www.helenogrady.co.uk/

Please, put your money where your mouth is and support our massive fundraising effort.