During the programme on Thursday the 21st of October, The One Show announced a new fundraising challenge for BBC Children in Need – the Surprise Squad. The Surprise Squad was made up of five inspirational young people who have been supported by BBC Children in Need and want to give back and lend a helping hand to benefit others.
Joined by The One Show presenters, Alex Jones, Ronan Keating and Jermaine Jenas, the Surprise Squad headed to locations around the country, where they completed surprise challenges for BBC Children in Need funded projects that need a little help with something – which could be anything from creating a secret garden for a children’s hospice or organising a much-needed community fundraising event to give a local project a boost.
The team of young people delivered their surprises and completed them within a day. The One Show viewers were able to watch how the surprises unfolded each evening, whilst learning the young peoples’ inspiring stories, during BBC Children in Need Appeal Week.
One of the incredible members of the Surprise Squad was Mary Immaculate High School’s own Ex-Head girl Ore. Ore is a young carer who helps look after her younger sister Ire, who is 14 and has Sickle Cell Disorder. Ore was the main carer for her mother, who passed away two years ago in October 2019 following many years of illness. Ore lives with her father and her sister. Ore is a passionate advocate for families who live with Sickle Cell Disorder – she wants to break down the stigma that can sometimes affect people with Sickle Cell Disorder. She also wants to highlight just how serious the impact of Sickle Cell Disorder can be on peoples’ lives, and give people from all walks of life a better understanding of the condition. Ore has been supported by Friends of Cymru Sickle Cell and Thalassemia through their youth project and their home support service.
Ore said:
“I loved being a part of the Surprise Squad and doing something that makes a huge difference to other children and young people across the country.”
Here at Mary Immaculate High School, we are immensely proud of the work Ore does for Sickle Cell Disorder and for her sister Ire, who is a current pupil at our school. She is a role model for all our pupils and we know that everyone in our Mary Immaculate community loved supporting and watching her journey with the Surprise Squad for Children In Need.
Our Head Teacher Huw Powell said:
“We were delighted to hear of Ore’s success in becoming a member of the Surprise Squad. She was an excellent Head girl and her sister Ire who is still at the school will benefit hugely from this wonderful Fund-raising idea”.
Feature image: Mary Immaculate High School’s former head girl Ore
