Children in Need

Every year thousands of people do things like wear fancy dress to work, have jelly baths and hold sponsored events or pyjama parties to raise money for the Children in Need appeal.

And the hundreds of thousands of pounds they raise goes towards projects to positively change the lives of disadvantaged children and young people in the UK.

By early 2008, grants worth £20m had been handed out. It was the first of two rounds of grants which were possible after a record-breaking £36m was raised by 2007's appeal.

Thirteen projects around Tyneside and Northumberland were awarded nearly £600,000.

The project has been going for 14 years

Varied projects

The schemes to benefit were Radio Lollipop at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary, Longbenton Youth Project, North of England Refugee Service, North Tyneside Disability Forum and South Tyneside Asylum Seekers and Refugee Church Help (Starch).

Escape Intervention Services, Crossroads Gateshead, Bubble Foundation at Newcastle General Hospital and West End Women and Girls Centre all received grants.

The list was completed with Benwell Young People's Development Group, Gateway into the Community, in Hexham, Berwick Youth Project and African Community Advice North East.

Someone who has seen the benefit of the money raised through Children in Need both personally and professionally is Kelly Bland.

She is a youth worker at Longbenton Youth Project, which was awarded £85,544 to pay for the continuation of a detached youth worker's post for three years. And when she was young she went on a holiday through Children in Need.

'Massive difference'

She said: "It made a massive difference to me. Just the change of scenery and the fun and excitement of it. Personally for me and professionally it means a lot.

"I can relate very strongly to the importance of the money and the difference it makes."

People wore fancy dress to raise money

She described the CiN grant for the project as "crucial" for the small operation to continue running at the same level.

Longbenton Youth Project has been going for 14 years and works with young people aged between 14 and 25.

As a detached project, it is all about going out into the places where young people are, building up relationships with them and then supporting them in what they want to do.

Positive change

The emphasis is on going out to young people's "territory" and reaching people who might not use other resources, meeting them on their terms and conditions and being flexible.

As the direction the support goes in depends on the young people, the youth project is involved with a wide range of subjects including sexual health, mental health, drama, poetry and art projects.

Kelly said: "We are all about change for the better in the young people's lives.

"A lot of people in life hit a point where they just need that step in the right direction and someone to listen.

"It is about arming them with skills, experience and knowledge so that they can go on."

Find out about the grants for North East projects by clicking on the link: