Saving Lives for More Than 35 Years
When Anthony Nolan was born in 1971 with the extremely rare Wiskott Aldrich Syndrome, the only known cure was a bone marrow transplant but, without a national register, finding a compatible donor was virtually impossible.
His mum contacted her local Round Table club in Thanet asking for help and together they formed a partnership that is still strong today.
Unfortunately, Shirley Nolan’s crusade to form a national database for bone marrow donors didn’t save her son but, together with Round Table, The Anthony Nolan Trust has saved more than 8,000 lives since it was founded more than 35 years ago.
Round Table members across the country have worked tirelessly over the years, recruiting hundreds of thousands of donors through nationwide clinics sponsored by Round Table, as well as raising more than £1 million to build and equip new facilities, proudly named the 'Round Table Laboratories' at their opening in 1978.
Round Table continues to support The Anthony Nolan Trust and national president Dave Barker chose the charity as the official charity for his Presidential Year (2009/10).
He explained why:
“As long as I live, I’ll never do anything as important as becoming a bone marrow donor – I’ve had the opportunity to save someone’s life – to do something greater than anything else, and it takes so little.
“The challenges faced by those needing that life-saving bone marrow to take THEIR life back from Leukaemia, is something that has touched me in such a personal way.
“The challenges faced by The Anthony Nolan Trust to make every penny work so hard to find that life-saving donor leaves me every time wanting to do more and more.”
This commitment also led to the piloting of a new Saliva Test pack, which Round Table members can order from The Anthony Nolan Trust to recruit potential donors to the register. The scheme means that people wishing to help can complete a medical questionnaire and spit in the specially produced collection pot, providing a small sample of saliva to be tested and added to the Anthony Nolan register. This simple act could save somebody's life.
Members of Round Table who would like to get involved in the Saliva Test can order packs from The Anthony Nolan Trust website.
For more general information on The Anthony Nolan Trust, visit http://www.anthonynolan.org.uk/ or call 0303 303 0303 during office hours, Monday – Friday.
Round Table supported BBC Children in Need 2011
Round Tables across the country support the BBC Children in Need campaign each year, helping the charity to raise millions of pounds for thousands of needy kids throughout the UK.
In 2011 our members across the country stood together raising funds as the number one collecting organisation for BBC Children in Need. We raised a grand total of £150,000 in 1 day!
The history of Pudsey Bear and Round Table
But one club has a special tie to BBC Children in Need. Shaun Redman, former chairman of Pudsey Round Table, near Leeds, explains how they became custodians of the first official Pudsey Bear.
BBC Children in Need was first staged as a Telethon in 1980, hosted by Sir Terry Wogan. The show raised more than £5 million pounds and started a tradition of fundraising that has gone from strength to strength.
Pudsey Bear made his debut in 1985. Then brown, with a red and white spotted bandana, Pudsey was designed by Joanna Ball, a BBC graphics designer, who named him after the Leeds borough where she was born and the original Pudsey Bear is on display in BBC Television Centre at White City. He proved very popular and returned as BBC Children in Need's official logo the following year with his design amended to that of a yellow bear with a red spotted bandage.
When they heard of the new name, Pudsey Round Table decided they should do something special to mark the fact that their town was now well and truly on the BBC Children in Need map. So they organised a trek from the Isles of Scilly to Shetland, travelling by all different modes of transport, and staying at Tablers houses along the way. They raised almost £30,000 and decided to travel to London for the 1986 BBC Children in Need show, to present the cheque in person.
So, sometime after midnight, then Chairman Nigel Seary presented the money to the famous host who, in the spirit of the evening, declared that Pudsey Bear should indeed live in Pudsey.
Needing no more encouragement, Nigel left the building with the large bear in his possession!
It then became a tradition that this Pudsey Bear lived with whoever was chairman. Shaun Redman, Pudsey Round Table Chairman 1997/98, and member of Pudsey 41 Club, explains Pudsey’s new role:
“Pudsey has been hard at work ever since we got him, raising money for BBC Children in Need. He still occasionally goes out on BBC Children in Need night, and he’s also been to a few charity auctions. He collected once on Leeds Railway Station and raised £12,000 in just five hours!”
“Yes, the first official Pudsey Bear now lives with me” said Shaun.
“We do loan him out, but when you have custody of Pudsey you have to treat him well! We make sure his fosterers have insurance for at least £15,000, as he’s irreplaceable. He has to have his own car seat, and we make sure he's treated well!"
Pudsey, meanwhile, is taking it all in his stride. He is getting on a bit now, but he still likes to get out once in a while, to support BBC Children in Need. When you get to his age, you're bound to have the odd bald patch, but the kids still seem to love him, and that's what it's all about really!
To find your local Round Table and be a part of BBC Children in Need 2011 please use our club finder or call 0845 508 0000.
