Noel's Christmas Presents

Here are the wonderful Olive and Margaret in their line dance capes and hats. Anyone who has ever spent a Saturday night in the Newcastle Bigg Market has heard of or met them because for the last 36 years they have been there most weekends collecting a total of over £1 million for Children North East. They have over 1,000 members on their Facebook page (The Ladies in The Bigg Market Appreciation Group) but since Sunday they will be known to millions having featured in 'Noel's Christmas Presents' on Sky TV - if you missed it don't worry, it's on another 10 times over the Christmas season.

Sky TV contacted Children North East back in September wanting to know more about Olive and Margaret. Then in November Noel Edmonds surprised them in the Bigg Market before whisking them off to a party Children North East organised for them. From there Noel took them to Nashville for 10 days where there were more surprises including meeting Dolly Parton and being fitted out with cowgirl suits.

The final filming took place a couple of weekends ago before an invited audience when there was also a surprise for Children North East - the gift of computer equipment for the WEYES project. So a great big THANKYOU to Olive and Margaret, Noel Edmonds and the people at Sky TV. Read more about Olive, Margaret and their trip of a lifetime on the Shields Gazette website.

Merry Christmas everyone, I am having a break next week so the next blog will be on 7th January 2010. In the meantime have a great New Year!