Beddy, steady go . . for big pyjama race!

Published on Wednesday 25 November 2009 08:35

IT IS usually a time of year for children to be enjoying a break from school, playing with their new Christmas presents or getting bored, but on New Year's Day up to 1,000 youngsters will abandon traditional festive comforts and take part in a fundraising race in their pyjamas.

The New Pyjamas campaign, which aims to raise 15 million for the new Sick Kids Hospital when it arrives in 2013, has organised the Great Pyjamas Caper.

The event will act as a warm-up to the traditional triathlon event round Holyrood Park.

Organisers are busy signing up pupils from schools across the Lothians, and are confident of reaching the four-figure mark.

It is hoped as much as 5,000 could be raised for the appeal, not to mention boosting the already growing awareness levels of it.

The course will involve a 1km run beginning from Holyrood Road, before winding back round the Queen's Park and to the finish line at Dynamic Earth.

The event is open to the 8-15 age bracket, and younger children on the condition that they are accompanied by adults in pyjamas.

Elaine McGonigle, director of the campaign – which is an arm of the Sick Kids Friends Foundation – said it was yet another imaginative way to raise crucial funds. They hope it will capture the interest of hundreds of local children.

She said: "We have already seen children going to school in their pyjamas to raise funds for the campaign. It is good to make fundraising fun for them and, in this case, the spectators too.

"We are very grateful to Edinburgh Racing, the organisers of Edinburgh's New Year's Day Triathlon, for giving us the opportunity to raise funds with the Great Pyjamas Caper and the Triathlon."

Schools have been key in the fundraising process so far, with notable events taking place at George Watson's College and Craigmount High.

The new hospital, which will be based at Little France beside the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, will be one of the best in the world, it is hoped. As well as two-thirds single, en-suite rooms for patients, there will be a family hotel, an improved drop-in centre and internet access for patients.

Spaces are still available to register for the event. Register online at www.newpyjamas.org/getinvolved.