A HIGHWORTH care home raised £650 with a fun day for Children In Need on Friday.

Sandsground manager Tracey Williamson sat in a paddling pool full of beans while resident Ricky Hester had his chest waxed.

Ricky was the mastermind behind the fundraiser, which also included a barbecue, creepy crawlies and critters from ZooLab, stocks where plucky volunteers faced sponges and shaving foam pies, and a car from Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service.

There was also a raffle, a tombola, and face painting for visitors to enjoy.

Tracey said: “Ricky’s really pleased with how it went, everyone really enjoyed it and he’s already thinking about next year.

“He was very brave - though he now has a few bald stripes on his chest - and I wish it had been a bit warmer outside when I was sat in the beans, it was freezing cold.”

Ricky, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair enjoyed the day very much.

He said: “It’s really fun. I started organising this in the summer.

“It was very hard work, but with good people doing it.”

Other Sandsground residents had fun at the fundraiser, and staff from other care homes and SN1 Dogs came along to show their support.

Tracey said: “Ricky’s always up for a challenge, he’s already had his head shaved for Macmillan.

“He also volunteers for SN1 Dogs and the fire service, he likes to keep busy and be part of everything that’s going on.”

Neil Chamberlain,the DWFRS volunteer co-ordinator, said: “Ricky is passionate about the fire service and he really gets involved so we’re happy to support him by coming along today.

“He comes to team meetings and gets on well with everyone, he’s a lovely lad, very amicable.”

Social care worker Sarah Moss said: “He loves winding people up, he’s a bit of a prankster.

“The chest wax, the beans, the bugs, the stocks, they were all his idea and it’s been very busy.”

ZooLab brought along snakes, geckos, tarantulas, millipedes, frogs, rats and cockroaches for visitors to meet and handle.

The company takes animals into schools to teach youngsters about conservation efforts and animal welfare.

Children In Need’s annual BBC telethon begins on Friday at 7.30pm.

It has raised more than £600 million for disabled children and young people in the UK since it began in 1980.

For more information visit bbc.co.uk/corporate2/childreninneed.