Fun all the way for Comic Relief (From Western Telegraph)

Fun all the way for Comic Relief

ONCE again, thousands of Pembrokeshire pounds were raised for this year's Comic Relief.

The county got well and truly into the fundraising spirit, with a variety of Red Nose events taking place, from fancy dress to hair-raising fun.

During Red Nose night, volunteers at Job Centre Plus in Pembroke Dock, joined more than 190 call centres across the UK to man phones in the non-stop seven hour phone-in.

Seventy staff, plus 120 family and friends, handled nearly 8,000 calls, taking pledges of more than £230,000, the largest amount taken by the 11 Job Centre Plus call centres taking part.

"We took calls from 6.45pm until two in the morning and it was red hot all night," call centre manager, Carole Wingfield said.

"It was a very long night, but people were so enthusiastic and to be honest I couldn't get them off the phones."

With a raffle raising £1,300, the call centre helped raise a record £37,809,564 on the night.

With massive amounts raised, Red Nose Day 2005 will help poor and disadvantaged people in the UK and some of the poorest countries in the world to help themselves.

Anyone who held a sponsored event can get their money to Comic Relief by phoning 08457 910 910 or by sending a cheque to 'Red Nose Day 2005', Ernst and Young, PO Box 678, London, EC4A 1NT.

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Sally Collins, of Age Concern, has a bolt of lightning sprayed into her hair at the hands of Donna Billing, of Upper Cuts hairdressers, Haverfordwest. Between them, staff at Age Concern, Haverfordwest, and Upper Cuts raised over £200 for Comic Relief.

Hair today, gone tomorrow for Julie Westwell, nurse at The Fenton Veterinary Practice, Haverfordwest. She shed her 50 cm-long locks to raise £253 for Comic Relief. What remained of her hair was dyed in the Comic Relief colours of red, yellow and blue. Julie is pictured during her shearing at the hands of veterinarian Lisa Phillips.