Dame Barbara Windsor has revealed one of her favourite Children In Need memories, while working with the charity once again for its new fundraising campaign as they ask people for their old pound coins
Dame Barbara Windsor has revealed one of her favourite Children In Need memories, while working with the charity once again for its new fundraising campaign as they ask people for their old pound coins.
The former EastEnders star joined forces with the organisation’s beloved mascot Pudsey Bear in London’s Trafalgar Square to launch a national treasure hunt for the last round pound coins, six days before the coin is taken out of circulation.
BBC Children In Need is aiming to collect as many of the old pound coins as possible – there are believed to still be around 500 million in circulation – and has asked people to search high and low for the coins and donate them ahead of its Appeal Day on November 17.
Dame Barbara said: “This campaign really caught my attention as Pudsey’s Round Pound Countdown is such a great way of getting valuable use from what is soon to be a ‘worthless’ coin.”
The charity partnered with The Royal Mint and HM Treasury for the campaign, which will help disadvantaged children and young people across the UK.
“It’s brilliant that BBC Children In Need, The Royal Mint and The Treasury are giving them value again,” Dame Barbara said.
“Instead of having these out-of-service coins cluttering the drawers and bottoms of our wallets and purses up, they will help children lead a better life.”
Speaking of her previous work with the charity over the years, Dame Barbara said she has enjoyed all the campaigns, but admitted that one in particular does jump out at her.
She said: “Maybe one that does stick out is when I sang My Old Man, the music hall song made famous by Marie Lloyd.
“It was at the height of my Peggy Mitchell days and I knew that few of the youngsters who watched the show would be aware that I came from a song and dance theatre background.”
Referencing her soap character’s famous catchphrase, Dame Barbara added: “I absolutely loved it and it gave me a break from telling everyone to ‘get out of my pub’ for an evening.”
She said she has long enjoyed working with the organisation because it helps children.
“It’s awful to think that any children in our modern world should be in need, but the fact is there are many who are,” Dame Barbara said.
“BBC Children In Need has always focused on helping young people and making positive changes to their lives and their futures.
“Being an only child, I remember loving being around other children and would often take the role of making sure they were OK.
“Maybe my work over the years for BBC Children In Need has been an extension of that.”
BBC Children In Need’s vision is to ensure that every child in the UK has a safe, happy and secure childhood and the chance to reach their potential.
The charity is currently supporting over 2,500 projects across the country in order to help young people facing a range of disadvantages, such as living in poverty, being disabled or ill, or experiencing distress, neglect or trauma.
Since its inception over 30 years ago, BBC Children In Need has raised over £909 million.
