Bellringers, firefighters and schoolchildren will be among hundreds in Oxfordshire taking part in this year's BBC Children in Need extravaganza, writes Roseena Parveen.

Pudsy the bear with actress and singer Martine McCutcheonThousands of people across the country are gearing up to support the famous fundraising event to help children who are deprived, poor, abused or have disabilities. Last year's appeal raised 18m nationally, including 120,000 in the Thames Valley area.

At BBC Radio Oxford's office in Banbury Road, Summertown, presenter Jonathan Hancock has promised to cook breakfast for passers-by in return for a donation.

Mr Hancock said: "It's the perfect opportunity to get some publicity and let us know what you're doing."

As well as breakfast, haircuts are on offer at the studio from 9am for a minimum 10 donation.

BBC Radio Oxford's Pudsey Bear Patrol will be out and about in Oxfordshire, reporting live on events being run in the county on Friday.

Here are some of the fundraising events taking place:

**100 boys at Moulsford Prep School, Moulsford will don silly hats for a conga

**Bellringers from Warborough St Lawrence will take part in national peal

**Woodstock firefighters hope to match last year's 5,000 through their street collection

**Karate students aged three to six from Botley Mini-Rangers will be getting fit for the event with a sponsored circuit training session at 4pm at SS Peter and Paul Church hall.

**At Barclays Bank, Botley, staff are offering customers the chance to win a computer donated by PC World, which will be raffled in aid of Children in Need.

**Harwell Young Singers are taking part in BBC Radio Oxford's Children in Need programme on the day and they will also be performing a concert of church music and West End theatre songs at St Matthew's Church in the village at 8pm. Admission is free and a collection will take place afterwards.

**Staff and youngsters at Abacus Children's Care, the nursery for West Oxfordshire College, in Witney, are keeping their pyjamas on for the day

**Home-made cakes and biscuits will be sold at Bartholomew School, Eynsham

**A Rock and Blues festival is being held at the general Foods Social Club, Banbury

**Buskers in Wantage will donate their day's earnings

** Staff at Harwell International Business Centre are holding a sale of bean-filled soft toys in aid of the appeal.

** Avid collectors of the very indivual soft toy Ty Beanies are donating scores of the highly collectible stuffed animals for the lunch-time sale which at the Atomic Energy Authority's headquarters building on Friday, November 17, where staff are organising a raffle. New Beanies will also be on sale with a surcharge of 1-per-Beanie going to the BBC appeal.

**Oxford Harlequins Rugby Club boys have agreed to have their legs and backs waxed.

**Oxford Mail staff will be buying products from Body Shop Direct which will donate ten per cent of all proceeds from Friday's trading.

Are you organising a Children in Need event? Call the Oxford Mail news desk on 01865 425500.