Amidst the furore of the general election, fundraisers nationwide went full steam ahead and contributed to one of the busiest Appeal Weeks yet.

Every event, big or small, made its mark – helping to raise hundreds of thousands of pounds and spread the word about the Red Cross’ work.

Nicci Walmsley, head of community fundraising, said: “Thank you to everyone who got involved and joined in the fun. It was a fantastic week and we simply couldn’t do it without you.”

Here are some of the highlights:

• Reid and Stanners started things in Scotland with a live performance of the Appeal Week song – With a little help from you – at a launch event in Glasgow’s George Square attended by actor James Cosmo.
• On the Isle of Man, partygoers put on their glad rags and danced the night away at a Monte Carlo-themed ball.
• Budding detectives got together to answer ‘whodunit’ at a murder mystery party in Worcestershire, raising over £1000.
• Over 550 people walked the streets of Essendine in a Red Cross parade led by Essendine Primary School pupils who made up their own slogans for Appeal Week banners – one favourite was “Help the Red Cross stop humans becoming extinct”.
• Volunteers aged four to 78 modelled in a charity fashion show at East Stanley Working Men’s Club in Durham.
• Claire Durham from the disaster management team delivered a lunchtime talk to 85 eager listeners in Shrewsbury – raising a staggering £4,400.
• Staff and volunteers took part in sponsored challenges galore including climbing 200 flights of stairs, spending the entire week on roller skates and walking a 35-mile detour to the local pub.
• On 8 May, the Channel Islands held a series of special events to celebrate the 65^th anniversary of the end of the occupation during the Second World War.
• In London, a group took part in a nine-mile sponsored walk along the Thames from Battersea Bridge to the Tower of London crossing 11 bridges in total.
• One collector got a welcome surprise when a generous donor gave £100 on the spot at a collection in Morrisons in Coalville, Leicestershire.