The 1984 Ethiopian famine appeal which touched the world - including Sunderland

The Ethiopian famine appeal was big news in 1984.

National television showed the scale of the problem which would claim the lives of 300,000 people that year. Eventually more than 400,000 died.

The world sprang into action and Sunderland was no exception. Pupils of one school - Hill View Juniors - raised more than £3,000 in a week.

The biggest donation they had ever seen

The speed and size of the donation stunned volunteers from Save the Children, who added the money to their Ethiopia appeal.

“It’s easily the biggest donation the Sunderland branch has ever received, ” said branch chairman, Mrs Irene Earle.

“It’s magnificent. I was speechless when I heard how much had been raised.”

A charity drive which snowballed

The school’s effort was sparked off by first years Gayle Kirkbride (seven), and Lucy Moran (eight), who collected £12 from a jumble sale.

They handed the money to staff and the fundraising snowballed.

Members of the 1st Herrington Brownies certainly did their bit for charity when they made blankets to help people in Ethiopia.

Please Mr Gorbachev

Students at St Robert of Newminster School, Washington, came up with a unique idea.

Sixth formers Fiona Collin and Joanne McGregor wrote a letter to Soviet Leader Mickhail Gorbachev asking him to help with the famine.

Here are Fiona Collin, left, and Joanne McGregor, in 1984.

Pupils at Silksworth Junior School got in on the act by making a ‘lifeline’ of pennies.

Pennies which stretched for 130 yards

They used their own money - and some that they had collected from passers-by, parents and shopkeepers - to create a line of pennies which stretched about 130 yards within the grounds of the split site school. They raised £76 between them.

The pupils pictured were Chris Pickard, Sonia Sandow and Susan Crow who were all eight years old and were all photographed charting the progress of the line of pennies.

Headmaster Mr Cuth Earl said at the time: "The youngsters have been smashing. They wanted to do their best to help a worthy cause."

Sponsored lines - for teachers

Just as generous were the children at Ryhope School who were on the right lines with their fundraiser. Pupils Clare Ashbridge and Andrea Fowler had the wonderful idea of getting 25 teachers to write out lines and be sponsored for doing it.

The teachers, including the head Dick Copland, spent half an hour putting pen to paper.

Two Washington children were in the news as well. Gavin Ranton, 7, and his sister Caryne, 4, gave up eating sweets to raise money and Gavin said they did it after watching the television footage of the children of Ethiopia.

Both were pupils at Usworth Grange Primary School and both won praise for their excellent efforts.

They raised £104 and the school’s headteacher Don Drummond said: "I think it is really marvellous."

24 hours of computer games

Over at Argyle House School, pupils spent 24 hours playing computer games and 100 of them took part in a session which stretched from a Friday into a Saturday.

It led to more than £1,000 being raised. The idea of the fundraiser came from Bruce Wild.

In Easington Village, youngsters held a penny-for-the-guy collection and one youngster donated the contents of his money box.

‘Marvellous’ help from lots of people

Save The Children Fund branch chairman Mollie Kirk said: "It is marvellous that they should help."

A £175 donation where also came from the Easington Lane Central Methodist Church with another £93 from Shotton Hall Junior School in Peterlee where children handed over cash which had been raised at the harvest festival.

In fact, lots of groups got in on the act including Mill Hill Primary School which raised £920 by having a sponsored spell-in’.

Toys for a great cause

And well done to four pupils at Thorney Close School - Sarah Hilton, 13, Lisa Eccles, 13, Tracey Bewey, 12, and Michelle Laine, 12, - who organised a toy fair.

They sold toys as well as toffee apples and toffee cakes.

Tell us if you remember the appeal and what you did to help.

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