Charity for the bean counters!

Companies, schools and individuals across Chronicle Country spent the day raising money for the BBC charity appeal on Friday last week (November 18).

Emma Sykes and Lesley MacLeod, who live in Lower Stondon and Biggleswade respectively, set up a bath of baked beans outside Surfin’ Cafe in Biggleswade.

Passers-by could pay £3 to pour a tin of beans over the pair or £2 for a raffle ticket and a coffee from the cafe, helping Emma and Lesley to raise more than £200 on the day.

Pupils at Maple Tree Lower School in Sandy dressed in clothes covered in spots and raised £204.06, while youngsters at Sunshine Pre-school in Gamlingay had a teddy bear’s picnic and brought in £39.

Ickwell Pre-school children, meanwhile sold biscuits and cakes that they had made and second-hand books to parents and carers and raised £104.90.

Ivel Valley School in Biggleswade collected more than £330 through various fundraising activities, while firefighter Graham Sharp and colleagues raised £1,499.34 through fundraising work at Sandy fire station. Staff at the George Hay accountancy firm in Biggleswade raised £560 through a dressing up and down day.