Dr Brian Iddon MP Rocks with Wallace and Gromit as part of "Wrong Trousers Day"

Bolton South East MP, Brian Iddon has joined forces with animated stars of the silver screen, Wallace and Gromit, to help promote Wrong Trousers Day (WTD) 2008. Dr Iddon wore music themed trousers and posed with the life-sized characters to help encourage as many people as possible to get involved with this year’s Wrong Trousers Day, on June 27th.

This year Wrong Trousers Day, which raises money to improve the lives of children in hospices and hospitals throughout the UK, is music themed. Participants are encouraged to wear a ‘rocking’ pair of trousers and donate £1 to Wallace & Gromit’s Children’s Foundation – who are spearheading the event. The Children’s Foundation are also encouraging schools to get involved with the day. Children can submit footage of themselves rocking out in the Wrong Trousers. A panel of experts will select the most 'rocking' entry and the winner will win tickets for them and their classmates to see hit London West End musical "We Will Rock You" and meet the cast backstage.

Dr Iddon MP said,

“I am delighted to lend my support to Wallace & Gromit’s Children’s Foundation, whose initiatives in hospices and hospitals throughout the UK help some of Britain’s most poorly children. Wrong Trousers Day 2008 is a great opportunity to have some fun at the same time as helping to raise money for a really worthwhile charity. Now I have made myself look a little bit silly I hope that other people here in Bolton South East will also get involved!”

“I would encourage people here in Bolton South East to log on to the Wrong Trousers Day website –http://www.wallaceandgromitfoundation.org/ – and be part of the fun!”

Nicola Masters, Director of Wallace & Gromit’s Children’s Foundation, said,

“I’m delighted that Brian Iddon has lent his support to this year’s Wrong Trousers Day. This year’s theme is ‘Wrong Trousers Rocks’. It is great that Brian Iddon has shown he is game for a laugh and I hope it encourages other people locally to join in the fun and help us to raise over £1million for good causes.”

1. Since its inception in 1997 Wrong Trousers Day has raised over £1 million by encouraging people to wear a fun pair of trousers and donate £1 to Wallace & Gromit’s Children’s Foundation.

2. The fundraising activities have supported a wide range of initiatives in hospitals and hospices across the country. These include support for art, crafts and ‘messy play’, gardening, music therapy, drama and much more. In 2007 over 100 MPs lent their support to Wrong Trousers Day.

3. Dr Iddon also supported EDM 1784 to mark Wrong Trousers Day, the text of which can be viewed here: http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=36085&SESSION=891