Save the Children smash two world records in record time!

Save the Children and young supporters from across the UK have broken not just one, but two world records in less then a month. Record numbers of children have helped smashed the official Guinness World Record for the world's largest Chinese Whisper and the biggest 'Giant Sleepover', both of which helped to raise funds and save children's lives around the world.

On June 14th, as part of Save the Children's 'Giant Sleepover' over 40,000 children gave up their beds at home to sleep out at over 1200 venues across the UK. All money raised at the events help Save the Children continue its vital work supporting children caught up in disasters and emergencies around the world. Many children don't get to sleep in their beds due to emergencies. The enormous number of children that took part in the event contributed to a World Record Breaking success!

Just this weekend, over 1,330 children and celebrities helped Save the Children and TreeHouse, the national charity for autism education, to break yet another world record. The children taking part created the longest chain of Chinese Whispers! The attempt which lasted for 2 hours and 4 minutes beat the existing record held by the Cycling Club of Chengdu, China, involving 1083 people in 2006. In the last 2 years, there have been seven unsuccessful attempts to smash the record. The event raised over £100,000 to support Save the Children and TreeHouse work.

Rosie Shannon from Save the Children said, “Two record breaking successes in one month is an incredible feat so thanks to all the young people who have given up their time. Each child that attended the events have become part of Save the Children's biggest ever campaign to save children's lives. It shows just how determined children are to muck in and play their part for children around the world who are worse off than themselves.”


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For more information about The Giant Sleepover, the Chinese Whisper and Save the Children, please call Kate Redman on 0207 012 6863 or email k.redman@savethechildren.org.uk. We can provide pictures from either event or from Burma or China for you to use.

All the money raised for Save the Children from the Giant Sleepover went towards the charity’s Children’s Emergency Fund (CEF). The CEF means the charity is able to respond immediately to an emergency. Having the funds in place before an emergeny means Save the Children can deploy its team of emergency response experts immediately. The CEF also enables the charity to respond to emergencies that are not always in the headlines.

The Giant Sleepover was created in 2004 to unify children across the world encouraging them to have fun while raising money for the charity. Since then the annual fund-raising event has gone from strength to strength and is already the holder of a Guinness World Record.

About TreeHouse Registered Charity No: 1063184. TreeHouse is the national charity for autism education. Our vision is to transform through education the lives of children with autism and the lives of their families. Established in 1997 by a group of parents, TreeHouse runs a school for children and young people with autism and campaigns for better autism education nationally. We undertake policy and parliamentary work and research to ensure autism is a national priority; support parents to campaign locally and offer training and consultancy on autism education. For further information about our work please visit www.treehouse.org.uk

About Save the Children Registered Charity No: 213890. We're the world's independent children's charity. We're outraged that millions of children are still denied proper healthcare, food, education and protection. We're working flat out to get every child their rights and we're determined to make further, faster changes. How many? How fast? It's up to you. For further information about our work please visit www.savethechildren.org.uk


*** CHINA earthquake and BURMA cyclone - We`re helping children and their families in desperate need. Please give to our appeal www.savethechildren.org.uk. ***