(l-r) fancy dress winners Kim Ainsworth, Katie Pepper, Charlotte Moran and Yasmin Tesoriere

Childcare students in their vibrant fancy dress outfits

The Mad Hatter, Noddy and Red Riding Hood were just some of the characters turning up for lessons today at Vision West Notts.

Throughout the week, over 150 childcare students at the college’s Derby Road campus donned their fancy dress costumes and got busy selling Easter raffle tickets to staff and students to raise money for Barnardo’s charity.

Barnardo’s organises over 800 UK fundraising projects every year which transform the lives of more than 190,000 children and young people.  Earlier this year the charity wrote to childcare curriculums at every further education college in the UK asking them to take part in a fundraising initiative called ‘Big Kids’ where students and tutors dress up as a favourite children’s television or film character.

Students on childcare programmes from entry level to level 3 at Vision West Notts took up this fundraising challenge with enthusiasm and have exceeded their original target.

Early years programme area leader Leslye Henstock said: “I set the students the challenge of raising £200 for the charity and we’re set to hit the £400 mark.

“Everyone at college has been very generous donating money and chocolate eggs for the raffle prizes and the students have pulled out all the stops with their imaginative costumes and willingness to sell as many raffle tickets as they could to raise vital cash for Barnardo’s.”

Best fancy dress prizes went to Charlotte Moran dressed as a tiger, Yasmin Tesoriere in character as Mr Bean, Katie Pepper who became the Mad Hatter for the day and Kim Ainsworth as a shepherd.