KITES, cakes, and spraying the headteacher with orange water were among the highlights when Ferndale Community Primary School took part in Stand Up To Cancer.

Yesterday the school in Wiltshire Avenue raised more than £800 for the joint fundraising campaign from Cancer Research UK and Channel 4 with a number of different activities including a cake sale, a kite-making workshop and the release of hundreds of hot air balloons.

Taking part in the day was all the more important to the school, since it was partly organised by pupil Madison Shurmer, known as Maddie, who is being treated for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

Headteacher Gary Evans said: “Maddie has been such an inspiration, she’s been absolutely amazing, and we really wanted to do a day to support her.

“She’s been in school a lot – not all the time because of her treatment, but we did think that she might be home schooled for most of it but she’s been here a lot because she loves it.

“She’s been so good too, she’s stood up in assemblies and told the whole school – all 400 children – what she’s been going through.”

As well as a cake sale, children also had an opportunity to throw orange cake and squirt orange water at Mr Evans and assistant headteacher Becky Nolan, and take part in a kite making workshop Maddie also released a number of orange balloons into the sky.

Gary said: “All the children really enjoyed it and we had the parents come in and help as well and they all enjoyed it.

“We’ve raised around £700 or £800 which I think is really good.

“All the credit for organising it goes to our assistant head Becky Nolan, she did an absolutely brilliant job.”

The money raised by the school will be split between Stand Up To Cancer and Beads of Courage, which helps children record and tell their stories of courage during treatment for cancer and other serious illness.

The Stand Up To Cancer appeal has already won support from the likes of actors Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Hardy and Gillian Anderson, and last night Maddie, along with her mum Michelle, sister Florence and grandma Annette, appeared in a short film promoting the campaign shot by renowned photographer and film director Greg Williams alongside Idris Elba, Eddie Redmayne, Anna Friel, Sheridan Smith and Steve Coogan.

The film was broadcast on Channel 4 last night as part of a star-studded evening of entertainment fronted by Davina McCall, Alan Carr and Dr Christian Jessen in aid of cancer research.

To support Maddie and her family’s fundraising, visit justgiving.com/MadisonShurmer

For more information and to get involved, visit standuptocancer.org.uk