It’s fundraising time again and staff, students and friends of the College of West Anglia have taken hold of the reins with a 24 hour Ride-athon. Mechanical riding simulators, Milton and Frankel, are being ridden continuously from noon on Thursday until noon on Friday to try to raise in excess of £1,440.  In attempt to raise £1 a minute, riders were enduring power cuts, sore bums, lost pizza delivery and of course, sleepless nights! The college hit the headlines last year when they renamed a mechanical simulated horse after Frankel, the unbeaten racehorse and brought him out of retirement to help fundraising. This year Frankel was given a fresh challenge with its fundraising supporters being given just 12 hours to beat money brought in by Milton, a larger computer-operated horse simulator, which had 24 hours. The Children In Need effort saw around 50 staff, students and even family members pulling together to make sure Frankel and Milton had riders at all times of the day and night. One of the stars of the “Frankel and Milton Go Head To Head” challenge was Hazel, 73, a leaning support officer for the college at Milton, who was the oldest rider along with her husband Derek, (66) who has recently recovered from two liver transplants! Both raised just under £100 to towards the total. Another star fundraiser was degree student Kelly Brown, 19, from Haverhill, who went from business to business in Milton with a collecting bucket to support the cause. Louise Baker is the youngest rider at 13 who volunteered for the 10pm slot. The midnight until 6am slots were being gallantly ridden by Alison Barber, Head of Faculty for Land Based Studies, Arlene Clark, Executive Curriculum Director and Jade Rouchy, Yard Co-ordinator, who underwent surgery less than a week ago! Hannah Grainger, Work Experience Co-ordinator for the college, has led the way organising the JustGiving page, fundraising with all of the students, organised the text line, filled the 48 slots with riders AND is a saviour by riding at 4am! Other activities from the students at the Cambridge Campus includes baking cakes, wearing onesies, face painting, playing football and the staff have their submitted their baby photos for students to guess. It’s madness; it’s exhausting; it’s great fun; it’s valuable, it’s Children in Need! PICTURE They’re off…Alison Barber, head of faculty at the Cambridge campus, pilots Milton as the challenge begins to raise more money than Frankel, ridden at the start by programme manager Jenny Brandham.