National Doodle Day (UK)
Posted at 11:27 AM (PST) on Thursday, March 2, 2006

NATION URGED TO JOIN CELEBRITY DOODLERS

By Ben Pindar
Community Newswire

Two leading health charities were today calling on people across the country to join a host of stars by taking part in a national fundraising day of doodling. Celebrities including Rula Lenska, Ricky Gervais and Helen Mirren have already pledged to take part in the third National Doodle Day on March 3 which will raise funds for Epilepsy Action and The Neurofibromatosis Association.

This year's theme, "Puzzles, Patterns, Portraits, Pets, Passions and Places", reflects the huge diversity of subjects doodled day in and day out all over the country and keen scribblers now have the chance to gain recognition for their efforts.

Individuals can send their doodles to a special Freepost address for just £1 per entry and judging will be carried out by actor and author Maureen Lipman, the Doodle Day patron, with certificates awarded in various age categories.

All winners will have their work displayed in the Hall of Fame on the National Doodle Day website. A separate competition, which is open to schools, gives pupils and teachers the chance to win an interactive white board for their school. Businesses, brownie packs and sports clubs are also being encouraged to hold their own National Doodle Day competitions.

Around 800 famous names from the worlds of sport, entertainment, theatre, business and politics have added their weight to the campaign.

Also lending his weight to the campaign is Neil Buchanan, creator and presenter of CiTV's Art Attack. He said: "I love doodling. I doodle all the time and the really great thing about it is that it doesn't take much time and anyone can do it. You don't have to be an artist, so come on, pick up a pen and get doodling for a good cause."

An online auction will be launched on eBay on National Doodle Day (March 3) and will run for 10 days, giving people the opportunity to bid for their favourite celebrity doodle.

Paul Tranter, fundraising manager of Epilepsy Action, said: "Since Doodle Day started in 2004 people have doodled everything and anything from puzzles, patterns and portraits to pets, passions and places. All you have to do is let your imagination take over and enjoy yourself. In the last two years doodling has raised £80,000 to help support people with epilepsy and neurofibromatosis. And we have had such a good response so far to this year's event that it looks as if it is going to be even bigger and better."

Roberta Tweedy, of The Neurofibromatosis Association, said: "National Doodle Day has really entered the nation's consciousness. Each year more and more people are taking part and it is such a fun way to raise vital funds and increase awareness for two little known and often misunderstood medical conditions."

Details of all the initiatives, plus lots of ideas for joining in the fun, can be found on a special website at www.nationaldoodleday.org.uk or by calling 0113 210 8800.

Individual entries should be drawn on an A5 piece of card and include name, age and address on the back. Closing date for entries is Monday, March 27. Each entry must be accompanied by a minimum £1 donation. Cheques should be made payable to National Doodle Day and submitted to National Doodle Day, FREEPOST NDD.

Gillian Anderson	Piper Anderson #1	Piper Anderson #2
Piper Anderson #3	Darren Waterston