Design a Sock for Starlight, and help make dreams come true…

Are you looking for a fun activity that will keep the kids busy over the Easter Holidays? The launch of Starlight Children's Foundation's 'Design a Sock Campaign' may be your answer, and what's more - you could be helping to brighten the lives of seriously and terminally ill children.

Most of us will have had a childhood dream or ambition which we hope to fulfill in our lifetime. However, when you are suffering with a terminal illness the chance achieving it may seem unlikely. Serious illness can also rob children and their families of the ordinary things we all take for granted - such as having some fun with the people we love best. Watching our kids grow up and sharing their life is a joyous thought for any parent. But when that time is limited, it's important to make the precious time spent together as fun and as memorable as possible. That is why Starlight Children's Foundation's aim is to brighten the lives of seriously and terminally ill children and strengthen family bonds during difficult times - whether by granting wishes or by providing hospitals with distraction therapy.

Last year the charity helped over 100,000 children, and to enable it to reach out to even more children this year, Starlight is launching a new competition to 'Design a Sock for Starlight' with Adam Hart-Davis, regular radio and TV educational presenter and new presenter for BBC's Tomorrow's World. The campaign encourages children across the country to design a sock based on the theme 'If I had one wish…'. Entrants are asked for a suggested donation of £1 per entry, so kids will be actively helping very sick children achieve their dreams.

A winner will be chosen from 4 different age groups (3-7 yrs, 8-10 yrs, 11-14 yrs, 15-18 yrs) and the winning socks will be manufactured and sold through the Sock Shop in the Spring/Summer 2003 Sock Shop range with 50p per pair sold going to Starlight. Not only that, the winner could also win £100 worth of art and design equipment plus £500 cash for their teacher to spend on school materials.

All you have to do is email socks@starlight.org.uk or call Starlight on 020 7430 1642 for an entry form, or pop into any Sock Shop outlet. The closing date is not until 31 July and a special teacher's pack is also available direct from the charity. So what do you have to lose? Get your child's creative juices flowing and not only could they be helping to make yet another terminally ill child's dream come true, but could have the thrill of having their sock on sale for all their friends to see!