A NURSERY nurse immersed herself in a bath of beans in the name of charity as people across York and North Yorkshire did their bit for the BBC’s Children In Need appeal.

At Wooden Horse Nursery, in Easingwold, nursery nurse Jodie Curry, 29, raised more than £300 after bathing in thousands of baked beans for two hours.

She said: “We always tend to do something for Children In Need and this year we thought we would do something a bit different.

“The children brought in about 200 tins of baked beans and Easingwold Bathroom And Interiors kindly donated a bath and the 3663 cash and carry business donated some large tins of beans to help with the effort. It was messy, but good fun.”

In the centre of York Steve Morrison, director of Red Cow Music in Goodramgate, invited people to join a ukulele “flash mob” event which took place at 12.30pm yesterday in St Helen’s Square. About 20 people turned out to play the 1980s Bobby McFerrin hit, Don’t Worry, Be Happy.

Steve said: “It was great fun to perform it. Most of us had not rehearsed it, that’s why we had the notes taped to the front row’s backs.”

Most of the group were members of the York St John Ukulele Orchestra who had just learned to play the song last week before Steve called them to take part.

Rebecca Hope, 22, of York St John University, said: “It was handy that we had just learned the song, so we were all very excited to get involved in this fundraising event.”

At Fishergate School, staff and children wore something bright to help raise cash for the cause, and specifically disabled teenager Hollie Byrnes, of Holgate, who has a genetic condition called Arthrogryposos and needs £12,000 for a new wheelchair so she can play with her dog Hilton in the winter weather.

The event was organised by Hollie’s mum, Sandra Franks, and fellow teaching assistant, Liz Pitz, and was part of a general fundraising venture for Hollie.

Other events which took place at schools and nurseries throughout the day included a “soak the teacher” event at Millthorpe School, a fundraising cake stall at Tadcaster Grammar, a Pudsey Party at St Edward’s Playgroup in Tadcaster Road, York, while pupils at Barlby High School, near Selby, got the chance to “pie” their teachers in exchange for a donation to Children in Need.

Bootham School students in York took the theme of “icons” for their fancy dress fundraising event for Children in Need. Staff and students entered the spirit of the event and did their bit for the cause.

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