Comic Relief kicks off in West Berkshire

People across the district will be wearing red noses and getting involved in all manner of fundraising madness for those in need overseas and in the UK.
The fun started at Hampstead Norreys on Monday, when children at the Newbury Jitsu Karate Kai club wore red outfits to carry out sponsored exercises and have a go at sumo wrestling.
Staff from Strada in Newbury Market Place had two days of madness by going to work in their pyjamas on Monday and having a crazy hair day on Wednesday.
Other follicular frolics include moustache and head shaves, inspired by Jessie J’s hair dare.
A trio of 12-year-olds will be having their heads shaved and have raised £600 so far, while David Hardisty from Thomas Eggar solicitors will be involved in a close shave by having his moustache of 41 years removed Turkish-style.
A different kind of raising will take place as solicitors Gardner Leader will be holding a cake sale and ‘great bake off’, which will be judged by last year’s junior Great British Bake Off winner Freya Watson, from Chieveley.
There is always an excuse to dress-up and hundreds of people will be wearing red or embracing the comic aspect by dressing as fictional characters and cavemen or turning up to work in onesies or school uniforms.
Someone who won’t be going to school in uniform on Friday is 10-year-old Louie Pass, as he will be wearing a dress, inspired by David Walliams’ book The Boy in a Dress.
He has raised £210 so far, which he puts into perspective as 42 mosquito nets for African children.
Taking dressing up an extra mile or two are the ‘Pioneer’ walkers, who will be setting off from the Plough in Eastbury to walk the Ridgeway in theatrical costume.
Another person getting actively involved is Judy Dear, aged 67, who will attempt to swim a mile at the Hilton North Hotel, Chieveley, despite having had a kidney transplant and a heart bypass.
A whopping £102m was raised for Comic Relief in 2011, making it the most successful event since it was launched in 1985.
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and to see our Red Nose Day coverage, see next week’s Newbury Weekly News.