07/09/2026
The best part of our sailing around the coasts of Great Britain & Northern Ireland has been meeting those have been supported by BBC Children in Need. Last year it was 363,000 individual young people who had a helping hand extending to them.
We met Kayleigh Ferguson during our What's on in Scarborough stop at the Scarborough Market Hall & Vaults. Kayleigh painted Big Bear Voyage 2026 crew Manda Glenn's face in Pudsey Bear's colours. As she did, Kayleigh told us how BBC Children in Need put an arm around her and her young family when she needed it most.
Affecting stories like Kayleigh's re-doubled the Big Bear Voyage 2026 team's support of BBC Children in Need. Every pence of every pound makes a difference to someone throughout the UK.
KAYLEIGH FERGUSON WRITES:
"In March 2023, my children's dad died, leaving me a young widow raising two amazing neurodivergent children. We faced the challenge of navigating grief while supporting our children through autism and bereavement.
To work around my family's needs, I created Creatively Positive, where I provide face painting and sensory slime workshops. My aim is to create welcoming spaces where children can explore, build confidence and express themselves through creativity and play.
Alongside running my business, I am about to begin the third year of my Human Biology degree, specialising in the biology of the senses. My ambition is to continue into research in neurobiology and help improve mental health support for children by combining science, art and play.
BBC Children in Need has been a huge part of our journey. Through funded groups in Scarborough and one-to-one autism and bereavement support through Grief Encounter grief encounters and Child Bereavement UK, my children found friendship, understanding and hope after losing their dad. Those experiences helped our family heal and inspired me to create opportunities for other children to feel accepted and included. We truly would not be where we are today without the support of BBC Children in Need and the wonderful people who made those services possible.
Thank you so much to Pudsey, the Big Bear Voyage team and everyone at BBC Children in Need. We cannot thank you enough for the support you've given our family. It has made a lasting difference to our lives, and we will always be incredibly grateful.
If there are ever any opportunities to support BBC Children in Need, share our family's story, we would be truly honoured. It would mean so much to give something back and help raise awareness of the incredible difference your work makes to families like ours.
Sending lots of luck and love."
Kayleigh Ferguson, Max (age 5) and Millie (age 10)
