By William Coleman
Pudsey Bear may the the most recognisable charity mascot in our country. So when the BBC One Show’s Children In Need Rickshaw Challenge journeyed into Cumbria in November it was met with more than just a hero’s welcome by the locals and Silverdale Holiday Park.
The reason for such a warm reception was because they were welcomed to a party at the Silverdale holiday park, which is located just over the Lancashire border. The Silverdale site took the opportunity to donate a £500 cheque to the Pudsey Bear TV fundraising titan.
The generous donation was greatly appreciated and received two thumbs up from the One Show’s Matt Baker who cycled alongside the team off six riders on the 500 mile marathon. The charitable cheque was handed over to Matt Baker by Silverdale’s marketing executive Ellen Cartwright who was alse joined by other staff and holiday guests for the early morning meet up.
Not only was the park giving over the donation but they were also tracking the progress the team were making during their fundraising journey. They tracked them live on the BBC Children In Need web page. Using their mathematical skills along with the website they estimated that the team would arrive at around 7:15am.
Once to park owner Michael Holgate heard that the park staff were tracking to team to cheer them on he decided they deserved more than just cheers of support. He made to choice to contribute financially to the amazing effort being put in my the rickshaw riders.
Silverdale’s donation, he said, would be supporting a raft of extremely worthwhile causes which are funded by cash raised through the Children in Need appeal. Since 2011, The Rickshaw Challenge has raised over £16 million, and every penny that’s donated goes towards helping children and young people across the UK.
The team started their journey on Thursday 9th of November from the New Broadcasting House in London, along every leg of the way they were followed by the One Show studio by Matt’s co-presenter Alex Jones. Team Rickshaw worked their way across the UK and crossed the finish line in Glasgow on Friday 17th November, during BBC Children in Need’s 2017 Appeal Show.
The rickshaw was pedalled by six young riders, all of whom have been supported by BBC Children in Need funded projects.
Michael Holgate said that everyone from the park had laid on a fantastic welcome, and earned a well-deserved thanks from the One Show team.
