Copyright 2010 Showmen’s Guild Yorkshire. The famous children’s hospital, which has a London base, but with patients nationwide and a platform of international child health excellence, launched their redevelopment fund raising initiative in October which is the largest in it’s history, with £123 to be raised. The Showmen’s Guild, with its 4,500 members and organisation of up to 150 funfairs weekly between Easter and Bonfire Night, and many others across the year, are of course, in a unique position to assist in this worthy project. The exciting movement of the rides and colourful lights of the Fair, mixed with a reminder of children being able to have fun, was emphasised at the announcement ceremony in London with a traditional Gallopers, dodgems and games among the many festive attractions on hand in Leicester Square. The fund raising initiative follows a successful donation and awareness raising activity in the summer, when the Guild Promotions Committee hosted the celebrity launch of National Funfair Week. Over £5,000 was raised as 150 events were networked across the UK over the August Bank Holiday and the cheque for this amount was being donated. The possibility was discussed that a room within the redevelopment at the hospital could be named after the Showmen’s Guild, to remind patients of the fun times that they would hopefully see again and to create an tangible link between the hospital and Showmen’s Guild members . This would put a peacetime spin on the famous fundraising initiative of World War II when a spitfire was similarly named along with earlier donations of ambulances. The Showmen’s Guild were represented at the photo call by General Secretary, Keith Miller; along with Ramon Henderson, Vice President and Chair of the Promotions Committee with Vickie Henderson; along with Executive Director of the GOSH Children’s Charity, Dona Selby; and Marketing & PR Officer, Julia Stanger-France. Speaking after the successful presentation and discussion, Julia Stanger France from the childrens charity said: It was a pleasure to meet people who are so warm to the charity; we are really grateful for the amount raised already and we are looking forward to the possible future plans for next year”. Replying on behalf of the Guild, Vice President and Promotions Committee Chair, Ramon Henderson urged: We are always pleased to do something for children, as they are at the heart of our business and at the centre of our family way of life. We will look for ways to make our association with Great Ormond Street work for all of the Guild’s ten sections across the UK, to raise both much needed funds as well as awareness of the hospital’s work in the wider community.