Children in Need – Page 8 – What Was Pebble Mill?

Children in Need – Steve Cram and Alan Towers

Steve Cram & Marie Phillips

Marie Phillips & Alan Towers

Photos from Marie Phillips, no reproduction without permission.

‘Children in Need’ has enjoyed some high profile supporters over the years. In these photos Pebble Mill ‘Children in Need’ co-ordinator, Marie Phillips, is joined by middle distance runner, Steve Cram, and Midlands Today presenter, Alan Towers.

The following comments were left on the Pebble Mill Facebook Group:

Ruth Kiosses: “Guessing this was c1990 because if the plain blocks under Pudsey? The following year the blocks were coloured ! Sad to know this info but I remember the sweatshirts I bought each year. Still got my Pudsey on this design 22 years old and still taken into school every November!”

Marie Phillips: “Gosh Ruth, well remembered ! This was an athletics event at Alexandra Stadium where we were invited to take CIN merchandise to sell and Alan Towers was there to help with promotion and Steve Cram came over to the Stall – can’t remember if he bought anything but he attracted a crowd who did!”

Ruth Kiosses: “I started PM in 1990 and I knew that it was the first sweatshirt I bought! Loved CIN the busiest week of the year in Wardrobe. Light entertainment stuff arriving in van loads, long hours, but great fun. Loved doing the OB from the front lawn always such a great atmosphere.”

Marie Phillips: “I retired in 1998 Ruth, but as every November arrives I remember those nights – such fun, such hard work, such adrenalin and then twice a year being so proud to be able to allocate the fruits of all the effort. Hapy, happy days.”

Children in Need – Institute of Conductive Education

‘Children in Need’ in the Midlands gave funding to the Institute for Conductive Education in Moseley, Birmingham. It was opened in 1995 by Princess Diana. Marie Phillips, who was the co-ordinator of ‘Children in Need’ at Pebble Mill was invited to the opening. This is the invitation, and a photograph of Princess Diana meeting Marie.

Marie adds the following:

“Children in Need regularly funded the Foundation for Conductive Education which is based in Cannon Hill Park. It uses the Hungarian Peto method of helping children with cerebral palsy to achieve improved mobility. Believe it or not, part of the treatment involves the use of Ladderback chairs. Princess Diana was a Patron of the Institute and visited on that day to officially open a new wing. I was invited to represent Children in Need which was exciting enough and when I went along I had absolutely no idea that I was part of the group to be presented to her. I was astonished when I was told this and incredibly delighted and honoured. It was electric when she entered the room – her blue, blue eyes and dazzling smile captivated us all. She moved from group to group and she knew a surprising amount about ‘Children in Need’ and asked who that year’s programme Presenters would be. I told her it would be Terry Wogan and Gabby Roslyn and she was very complimentary about Gabby as well as the work of our Charity. A day I will always cherish.”

Thanks to Marie Phillips for making these stills available.

Children in Need Mugs

This collection of ‘Children in Need’ mugs has been put together by Marie Phillips. Marie was the ‘Children in Need’ co-ordinator for a number of years in the 1990s. Each year the ‘Children in Need’ fund raising campaign put out a new mug featuring Pudsey bear for collectors.

Terry Wogan with Pudsey Bear

Photos from Marie Phillips, no reproduction without permission.

The photos include Children in Need organiser, Marie Phillips with Terry Wogan and Pudsey bear.

These date from the mid 1990s, and were taken on the ‘Good Morning with Anne and Nick’ set in Studio C at Pebble Mill.

Marie Phillips adds the following information:

‘Terry Wogan was a Trustee of Children in Need and went round the Regions in the weeks prior to Appeal Night and asked particularly to meet each Regional Co-ordinator. He was very supportive and very appreciative of our work.

I told him that there were 90 calls on my answer machine from potential fundraisers, waiting to be dealt with. He was amazed and although I didn’t hear it, apparently on his next day programme he expressed his astonishment at “Marie in Birmingham having 90 calls in one day”. He was very friendly and interested in what we did. I am not sure if he did appear on Good Morning.’

Children in Need walk through Birmingham

Photos from ‘Children in Need’ organiser, Marie Phillips.

The photos are from the 1996 ‘Children in Need’ Toddle through Centenary Square in Birmingham, outside the Hyatt hotel. Included are ‘Midlands Today’ presenters Sue Beardsmore, David Davies, Shefali Oza and Gary Hudson, as well as director Merrick Simmonds, and cameraman Jamie Knights.

Marie Phillips is pictured with Aston Villa player, Shaun Teale, in the third photo. Apparently she had her photo taken with Shaun to make her Villa supporting son, jealous!