Photo Caption:
Headteacher Mrs Jan Duffill, Wg Cdr Headland with children from the Marham Airfield First School  collecting shoes for the Blue Peter Shoe-Biz Appeal supporting UNICEF

MARHAM AIRFIELD FIRST SCHOOL COLLECT SHOES IN AID OF THE BBC SHOE-BIZ APPEAL SUPPORTING UNICEF
January 2007

Enthusiastic students from Marham Airfield First School collected over 150 pairs of shoes for the Blue Peter Shoe Biz Appeal. Shoes were kindly donated by station personnel and family members at RAF Marham.

Wing Commander Gary Headland, Officer Commanding Administrative Wing at RAF Marham said "It's great to see the school actively involved in such a worthwhile charity event".

Jackie Appleby, Secretary at the School, who was the key organizer for the collection said "we never expected such a good response, and would like to thank everyone who supported it. But, no more shoes please, as we have run out of storage space".

For More information
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/bluepeter/appeal/index.shtml

What your shoes will buy
6 pairs = eight "memory books"
Children who have lost mums and dads often get very sad about how much they miss them. Memory books give children the chance to write down thoughts about their mums and dads, and describe how they are feeling.

69 pairs = a first aid kit
This first aid kit will help a community care worker look after children with plasters, bandages or cream when they've hurt themselves.

109 pairs = baby weighing scales
If babies aren't eating enough, they can become very ill and may not grow up to be healthy and strong children. By weighing babies regularly, community care workers check to see they are getting enough to eat.

330 pairs = bicycle for a community care worker
If children are living on their own, or looking after a sick mum or dad, they need extra help and care. A bicycle gives a community care worker the chance to visit children in their homes and check they're managing to cope.

994 pairs = kitchen kit
For nine hundred and ninety four pairs of shoes we can buy enough pots, pans, bowls and plates to cook and feed lunch to one hundred children.

1156 pairs = water pump
Drinking dirty water can make children very ill or even kill them. A water pump can provide clean water for hundreds of children.

The Blue Peter Shoe Biz Appeal is raising money for very poor children in Malawi like Esau, age 12, Enelise, age 13 and Mayasero, age 6. Many of the children have lost their parents and are orphans.

All the money you raise through the Blue Peter Shoe Biz Appeal is going to help children just like them, through special children's clubs in Malawi called Children's Corners.

Why Malawi?
Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world. Thousands of children have lost their parents because of a serious illness called AIDS. Without their mum or dad - or both - the children are missing out on all the things that your parents do for you. Many are all alone, with no one to look after them.

There are some grown-ups in the UK with AIDS, but it is extremely unlikely that either of your parents will ever become ill with AIDS. In Malawi though, sadly, many grown-ups become ill and many also die because of AIDS.

Why Children's Corners?
The Children's Corners help Malawian children cope when this happens to them. Every day, children can go to the Children's Corner to be looked after by caring grown-ups, make friends, play games, and have something healthy to eat. Life is just made heaps better here for them.

The Blue Peter Shoe Biz Appeal will help set up Children's Corners in villages all over Malawi through the help of an organisation called UNICEF. UNICEF works in over 150 countries looking after children.

RAF Marham and Honington First Response help celebrate Blue Peters 50th Birthday

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