Comic Relief fundraising events get under way

A NUMBER of events are set to take place across Edinburgh and the Lothians to support Comic Relief.

Around 155 employees from the Scottish Gas call centre in Granton will take pledge calls tonight from 7pm to midnight.

Entertainment will be provided by Edinburgh-based choir, Sing in the City and children's entertainer Gladys Chucklebutty.

Staff have also been raising funds by climbing the equivalent of Mount Everest on the office stairs, sponging and waxing colleagues, performing dance routines, and holding bake sales and pyjama parties.

Meanwhile, pupils at Stoneyhill Primary School in Musselburgh performed Strip the Willow this morning to raise funds.

And a group of friends, who are all primary seven pupils at George Heriot's School, will walk backwards along the Royal Mile while dressed in red from around 4.30pm today.

Rachel Urquhart, Eve Cable, Alice Lowrey and Sylvie Kaempf have already raised 200 through sponsors and hope to add to the amount.

Womankind Beauty in Stockbridge will hold a "waxathon" today at Cargo in Fountainbridge, from 4pm to 9pm.

Four therapists will work for five hours in a bid to wax as many people as possible.