Going purple grows to fight childhood cancer — Sussex rises to the challenge

18th March 2014

Across Sussex in companies, clubs, churches and schools plans are afoot to turn Sussex purple on Friday April 4th to raise money to help fight a devastating childhood cancer — Neuroblastoma. A new website has been set up to help anyone interested in participating find out how to get involved on Facebook.

Hastings Direct is one of over thirty organisations (actual 33) now signed up to the Let's Turn Sussex Purple challenge including Little Common School, Identity Signage & Printing, Azur Marina, Sussex Bed Centre, Commando Fitness UK, Senlac Inn, Boom Active Kids Fitness, St Mary's Nursery, Battle, Yummy Bakes, Ore Clinic, Battle Pre-School, Paul McCleery PT, Senlac Inn, BJ Events, 4050 Media, Medica, St Leonard's Glass, Heart of Sidley, Jigsaw Day Nursery (YMCA Hastings), Fat Face (Battle), All Saints Church (Sidley), Rare and Unique (Shop — Sidley), Rainbow Childcare Centre, Little Stars School of Dance, HAS Property, Pendragon Parties, Castledown Primary School, Brighton University (Hastings Campus), Qiana Bridal, Tempo — Specialist Running Shop (Eastbourne), A Bunch of Actors and Tollgate Community Junior School.

Staff from one of the county's biggest employers Hastings Direct are organising a bake sale, face painting and a purple theme dress down as part of their efforts to raise as much money as they can.

Hundreds of Sussex children will be joining in to raise money for this childhood cancer disease:

• Boom Active Kids Fitness will be going purple on April 5th (no sessions on 4th) and donating half the Saturday session cost for each child to NCCA. The kids will wear something purple and each donate £1. They are also organising a treasure hunt — each team will have to find six items that will spell out PURPLE.
• Little Common School will be going purple on April 3rd (inset day on the 4th). Teachers and pupils will wear purple to school and each class will be given 30 purple balloons and purple painting.
• Battle Pre-School kids will be wearing purple and making collages, eating purple cakes and decorating classrooms with purple balloons.
• Little Stars School of Dance will be teaching pre-school dance classes and they will all be coming to dance dressed in purple. The adult Bokwa Fitness classes will be wearing purple too!
• Yummy Bakes is donating a giant cupcake to the Hastings Direct raffle and selling cupcakes on the day with all monies raised, being donated.

Chris Hawkes, event organiser, Let's Turn Sussex Purple: "Anyone can participate just by wearing something purple on the day but we also have fundraising kits available for any Sussex organisation that would like to join us — all you need to do is email chris@turnsussexpurple.co.uk or eventsteam@hastingsdirect.com.

Neuroblastoma is a very aggressive childhood cancer and two children each week in the UK are diagnosed with this life limiting cancer. The NCCA helps families access potentially lifesaving treatment whilst supporting research that not only aims to introduce new treatments but also bring existing internationally available options here to the UK.

Anyone can get involved — just wear purple on the day and donate via the Just Giving page — www.justgiving.com/TurnSussexPurple — or by sending a text PURP52 £1 (or £2, £3, £5, £10) to 70070 or by visiting a group who is taking part to donate.