A new record has been set for the Children In Need fundraising extravaganza. A total £18.3 million was raised on the night, exceeding all of the previous 26 Children In Need fundraiser totals. Additional donations and contributions from fundraising activities taking place up and down the country are still to be collected before it is known if last year's record total of £33.2 million has been beaten. South Devon was a hive of activity, with a multitude of fundraisers doing their bit for the charity. Providing a shining example, children of all ages got stuck in to all kinds of ventures. St Catherine's C of E Primary and Nursery School, Heathfield, raised money with a huge line of pennies. The children brought in coins, which were laid out in a long line, which totalled £121. Youngsters got creative and helped Pudsey Bear to paint lots of miniature Pudseys at Cardew Pottery, Bovey Tracey. Throughout the day, the madcap antics continued. Chris Couchman, manager of Boots' Newton Abbot branch, bravely put himself forward for some hair-raising fun, getting his legs waxed and raising more than £900 in the process. 'Chris did really well. We got loads of sponsorship and it was a really successful day.' said a spokesman. Instep Chiropody auctioned six months of foot care on BBC Radio Devon, the successful bidder was a Totnes man, who pledged £120. Every penny raised will go directly to helping disadvantaged children in the UK.
